You're Cute When You're Embarrassed
by albe-chan
Summary: Two people realize that even though hate is a powerful emotion, love is stronger and if they can open their hearts and get over the past, they'll find a future neither expected but always dreamed for. MATURE-ish. NextGen. SM/LP. EDITED for MATURE THEMES! ONESHOT.


**You're Cute When You're Embarrassed**

written by: albe-chan

**DISCLAIMER**: This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, and any coincidence with real life is purely coincidental. This work may contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (mentions of sex, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: this has been consuming my mind recently, so I HAD to write it down...let's see where it goes! :P 'I don't wanna go to sleep, I wanna stay up all night, I wanna just screw around...' Cheers!

XXX

Lily Potter glared openly at the young, blond boy who was smirking insolently at her, hating him even though he had yet to speak a single word to her. Scorpius Malfoy; pft, even his _name_ sounded stupid, just like him! And so what if he was her brother's best mate? And so what if her cousin Rose found him 'to die for gorgeous'? Thirteen year old Lily knew that he was just an arrogant, annoying, and altogether stubborn bane upon her existence. Her brows had drawn down together with her thoughts, and now Malfoy was chuckling softly at her. The redhead felt her blood-pressure rise and fought to keep her temper in check, but when her brother Albus elbowed her hard in the ribs, and asked why she had such a sour-puss face, Lily lost control.

"Your stupid friend has been staring at me since we pulled out of the damn station, and it's getting on my bloody nerves!" she shouted, throwing her fiery hair off her shoulders even as her brown eyes blackened with her rage. "And I don't _like him_," she added, eyes narrowing as she glared back at the blond, who had forgone the grin from before, but whose dark grey gaze still mocked her.

"For one, we never asked you to sit with us," Albus retorted hotly, coming to the defence of his best mate even if it went against his sister. "And two, you've been doing nothing but sulking and giving Scor dirty looks _since_ we pulled out of the station!"

"You know what mom said before we left! I bloody_ have _to sit with you, you arse," Lily snapped back. She pointed looked out the window, forcing deafness to her brother's spluttering, but in the reflective glare of the window's glass, she could still see Scorpius smirking at her with his eyes. Lily clamped her jaw and focused on the rough and tumble scenery, glaring out the window until it darkened and they pulled up to Hogsmeade Station.

Albus had gone ahead to catch up with some other Slytherin friends, but Scorpius had dropped his trunk from the rack while pulling it down, and so lagged behind to tidy the spilled contents. Lily bit her lip; to have Scorpius effing Malfoy see her so embarrassingly climb up on the seat to retrieve her luggage (Merlin how she hated being so damned short!), or wait for the other youth to finish his slow-as-molasses repacking and possibly _not_ get off the train before it started to pull away.

Well, there was no use possibly not getting off, so she set her mouth in a hard line and lifted herself sprightly up onto the seat with one leg, reaching well above her head for her trunk. She tugged and the trunk slid easily across the metal bars toward her, but as she lowered herself to step down, her trunk came all too fast after her. She would have fallen, the heavy trunk crushing her certainly, but suddenly a long-fingered, pale hand had thrust the trunk back up onto the rack and another long arm had wrapped itself low around her waist to steady her.

"Are you mental? Just ask for help next time, Potter! What if I hadn't been here?" Scorpius' deep voice was reproving, but his eyes still mocked her, seeming to tell her, 'Silly little girl can't even get down her own trunk!'

"Then I reckon I'd have been smashed. Either way, you can _let go_ now." The blond's gaze questioned for half a heartbeat, and then he seemed to realize that he was still cradling her against his body, and his arm dropped away. "Thank you," Lily said primly, pushing her flaming locks off her bright red face, and then, hearing the conductor's last call, added quickly, "now can you get the damned trunk down? ...Please?"

Scorpius laughed at her and her eyes narrowed dangerously, but he easily swung the trunk down for her and gestured for her to leave the compartment head of her. Lily put her chin up defiantly and made to sweep out imperiously, but just before she sailed over the threshold, luggage in tow, the blond murmured, "You know, you're damn cute when you're embarrassed." Her cheeks flamed anew, but her sensible head told her to leave it, and not look back, but she'd be damned if she ever let Scorpius Malfoy have the upper hand on her again.

XXX

The young redhead was, for once, glad of her bright Weasley coloured hair, knowing it would help her blend in amongst the numerous family members who were gathered to witness the wedding of the eldest Weasley grandchild to her father's godson. Victoire had looked so radiantly beautiful and happy that Lily had been unable to help thinking of her own woeful lack of a date, and had barely been able to stomach getting ready amongst the spontaneous tears, laughter and overall giddiness among the rest of the bridal party. She looked down at her bright purple dress with it's hot-pink sash, and smoothed the taffeta with a wrinkled of distaste contorting her mouth and nose. Sure, the colours went well enough together, and the other bridesmaids (all six of them) looked fine enough in the colours, but Lily couldn't help thinking they clashed horrendously with her ginger hair and washed out her porcelain complexion. Sighing, she pushed the thoughts out of her head, musing that at least if _she_ ever had bridesmaids, she would have the sense to pick something timelessly flattering. Assuming, of course, she ever got round to _getting_ married.

At twenty-one, she had told herself it would surely happen within the next few years, and didn't bother to fret about it. "Lily, _there_ you are!" The redhead turned to see her favourite cousin, Rose, swishing toward her in her dark purple maid-of-honor gown, musing that at least the only other redhead in the wedding party looked decent. With her soft, strawberry-blond curls, easy smile, and lush curves, Lily had always thought of Rose as the much more fragile, gentle-tempered version of herself, even if she was two years older. "You are _never_ going to believe who I managed to talk into coming with me as my date!" Rose gushed, and Lily's indulgent smile went from warm, to downright frosty as she caught sight of the blond young man standing of a few yards from Rose.

Her cousin, oblivious, waved her date over, twining their hands together and gazing up, adoring, at the smirking grey-eyed face. "I always told you we were destiny!" Rose laughed out loud, eyes glittering as she looked back to Lily, who hastily pasted on a smile over her shock. She had pointedly ignored Malfoy as much as possible since moving away from home, and had not missed him in her life.

Inside, she felt like screaming. Or at least telling her sweet cousin the truth about her date. She had known the blond man a long time (too long, really) and with being her older brother's best friend, she knew _just_ how cruel Scorpius could be, just how manipulative, and just how devious. Not to mention she knew he changed girlfriends faster than he changed socks. Lily privately vowed if he ever broke Rose's heart, she'd curse him something fierce. "You have always said that, although, sometimes disaster poses as destiny." The young redhead stared defiantly up at Scorpius, even the presence of her four-inch heels not making much improvement on her height, and dared him with her warm chocolate eyes to do something.

Just what, Scorpius had no idea, but he knew that if it were anything like he would _prefer_ to do with his best friend's younger sister, it was not something he should enquire about with a date on his arm. Instead he smiled charmingly, and added, "And the devil takes many forms." Rose laughed, casting him another adoring glance (which was not foreign to the attractive blond), but Lily merely sneered, and looked back to her cousin.

"Well, at least he's warned you. I'm going to go find Al, I'll meet you for the procession deal thing in ten, okay?" She kissed dear Rose's cheek before bustling off in her unflattering taffeta, and Scorpius couldn't help but think although it clashed horribly with her hair and complexion, that strapless dress hugged her breasts in _all_ the right ways.

"C'mon, Scorpy, let's go see the bride," Rose chirped, and Scorpius, who had tensed at the loathsome nickname, forced himself to relax, imagining Lily's expression if she heard the horrendous endearment.

"Albus?" Lily poked her head into a room, hoping no one was indecent, and smiled up at her big brother, although he wasn't the one she was looking for. "Hi Jamie, don't you look positively dapper," she teased, poking the electric pink cummerbund that stood out from his all-black suit and shirt. "Or should I say, like a bloody matador?"

"Ha ha, funny Lily, wait 'til you see Al. At least I don't have a pink shirt!" Just then Albus opened up the door all the way, and Lily couldn't contain her giggles. His bright green eyes narrowed as she guffawed at his pink shirt and purple cummerbund, and he merely cocked a brow and looked his sister up and down.

"Yeah, well look at you."

"Shut up," Lily snapped. "I need to talk to you. Get your coat and come out here with me. Jamie, go away." Albus and James grumbled a little to themselves, but the green-eyed Potter came back out into the sunny afternoon with his sister, who after only a few paces toward the garden, whirled around, eyes on fire and hands on hips.

"How could you?" she demanded. "You're so blind, so fucking blind sometimes Al, I wonder if you need some new glasses!"

"What the bloody hell are you blathering about? What have I supposedly done now?"

"Don't you take that tone with me! You should know perfectly well what I mean! How could you let Rose think that absolute _abomination_ of a person you call your best mate gives a single bloody fuck about her? You know he's just going to cast her aside in a week at most, why would you let her get her heart broken like that!?"

Albus felt his shoulders tense defensively. "I don't know where the hell you get off," he said in terse, clipped tones, "but neither you, nor I, have any right to say anything to Rose about whom she might date. And just because you're so obsessed with hating Scor, doesn't mean I'm going to listen to it any more. Besides, what has he _ever_ done to you?"

Lily's eyes darkened and she opened her mouth hotly to shout back just what Scorpius had done, to blurt out every horrible word, but then her pride squashed her vocal chords, and her dignity snapped her mouth firmly shut. She'd be damned if she told Al the truth, and hell ,she doubted he'd even believe her. Merlin, he was just as bad as Rose, thinking this man to be so flawless. No, not even a man! An over-grown troglodyte with the most impeccable manners, and the most devious mouth. Her eyes flashed and she said, instead, in a deadly soft, measured voice, "Why don't you ask _him_ that sometime?" And with angry tears threatening to fall, Lily bit her lip and stalked off to find Rose and compose herself enough to get through the ceremony set to come. And after that was done, she'd duck out of the reception as quickly as possible.

XXX

"I told you so." The soft, not-quite-smug voice only made Rose cry harder. It had only taken five days, and even Lily was a little surprised by Scorpius' lack of caring about her cousin, but she really had warned Rose outright that Scorpius would move on, and soon. "I'm sorry," she murmured, stroking her cousin's beautiful hair, trying to make the other young woman understand she wasn't trying to be a bitch, she only wished her advice had been heeded. "But Rose, honey, he's a player. A bastard, and wretch and an absolute asshole to boot," she added, tempting out a watery chuckle, "but it's not your fault. You're gorgeous, and wonderful and deserve _so_ much better than him."

Tears leaked uncontrollably from Rose's pretty blue eyes. "I know, he said the exact same thing!" she wailed, throwing herself back, face down, into her pillow, sobbing all over again. Lily felt bewilderment rise up like a sick wave in her belly.

"What?"

"H-he told me th-that I wasn't g-g-going to end up with h-him." Rose hiccuped between sobs. "A-and that, w-w-we _weren't_ destiny, or anything, but that mine must surely be right around the corner... But I don't w-want that d-d-destiny!" Lily hugged her close and then rubbed the tops of her arms.

"I don't understand... You're saying...he broke up with you, because he thought you couldn't be his destiny?" How strange and certainly untrue.

"No," Rose sighed, wiping at her tears, finally. "No, he said that I deserve better than him. I told him that's couldn't be true, 'cause we were like, destiny, right?" Lily nodded, urging her on. "And he said, no, we can't be, and mine must be close, but that he knew who he would grow old with. It just, wasn't me, and he was sorry if he had lead me on." The elder of the pair sniffled slightly, and Lily felt a sick feeling lapping at her heart now. No, surely Scorpius, that devil, hadn't said that. Surely Rose had been paraphrasing...he couldn't have said he knew who he would grow old with. Yes, there was no way he would have told her... She set her mouth, and pushed the feelings back down inside her.

"Well, even if he likes to think that was a good excuse, he's wrong, and a prick!" Lily declared, and her cousin smiled sadly.

"Yeah, but he's still a _gorgeous_ prick." Lily rolled her eyes and cursed Scorpius Malfoy for having so many people she held dear under the illusion that he was something he was certainly _not_.

By the time she arrived back at her flat, Lily's anger had cooled drastically, and now she only felt bad that her cousin was still clearly besotted with Malfoy and couldn't understand why the redhead didn't have the same tendency as herself to get mad, and rage against the blond devil. Shaking her head, Lily tossed her purse onto the kitchen counter, and took off her light jacket.

"No need to get undressed on my account," drawled a cocky voice from her left, "but by all means, please continue." Lily almost fainted when she caught sight of the long, lean blond leaning against her sink, and reached instantly for her bag, and her wand that rested right near the top, but Malfoy had beaten her to it, and Summoned the object to himself, catching her heavy bag easily. "Damn, what the hell do you have in here?"

"What are you doing in my house?" Lily demanded. "And how the hell did you get in!?"

"Darling, you forget that I'm skilled in a _plethora_ of ways." He smirked and pulled out her wand, examining it closely. "And besides, it's not what I'm doing here, it's what _you_ were doing out."

Lily, who had blushed at the innuendo, felt her temper rising fast, the hot anger licking up inside her. "You don't get to call me that anymore," she snarled, "and you certainly don't get to know what the hell I do with my life."

Scorpius' grey gaze narrowed and became shrewd. "I can't see how you can stop me, _darling_, and judging by your less than polite reception, I gather you've gone to visit Rose."

"You're an asshole, y'know that?" Lily turned on her heel and marched from the kitchen, through the tiny dining area, and out onto her generous balcony. Scorpius pushed away from the sink and followed, leaning in the sliding glass door frame, blocking her exit.

"So you've told me before. I didn't lie to her though, did I? I didn't tell her what you couldn't, did I? And I sure as hell didn't do it on purpose, Lily... Believe that if you want."

To his amazement, the fiery redhead laughed, but the sound was cold, and mirthless. "The worst part is, she still fucking adores you! And you could care less. You never did seem to understand that; you just really don't care."

Scorpius was before her in two long, angry strides, his hands hard on her upper arms, gripping her, fighting to keep from shaking her. Fucking _Merlin_ she made him want to bloody well throttle her! "That's bullshit and you know it," he breathed. His hands slid greedily up her arms, over her shoulders, and he debated gliding them down over the delicious swell of her breasts, but instead, let them cup her face and brought his lips down on hers, smothering any reply she might have tried to make.

Lily felt the domineering lips over her own and fought to keep still, too proud to allow herself to melt into the still-familiar embrace, yet too needy to pull away.

She wondered how he could still make her feel this way when she also wanted to curse him. He pulled back, breathing heavily, and her wits returned with the absence of his smoldering kiss. The redhead shoved him roughly away, her hand stinging a slap across his face. "How dare you!" Lily was shaking, emotions warring in her, the old feelings bubbling up and threatening to choke her with tears. "Get out," she whispered, pointing a trembling finger toward the door. "Just get the fuck out."

"You know it doesn't have to be like this. I don't _want_ it to be like this." His eyes were possessive, his voice a surly growl.

The redhead forced her voice to sound cold and cruel. "I stopped caring about what you want a long time ago." Lily swallowed back the tears that were gathering behind her eyes, praying for him to just leave before she lost it entirely. Scorpius' eyes went blank, and without a word, he Disapparated in a whirl with a loud CRACK! She hugged her arms about herself, her body betraying her as it longed for his warm, solid body again. Damn it, she would have to try harder to forget him. She closed her eyes, tears sneaking out traitorously from under her long lashes, and vowed that she would be stronger. She would forget Malfoy, and the feelings he stirred in her, and she would move on. Damn it, she would!

"What happened to your face?" Albus chuckled as Scorpius walked into their shared accommodations, smile faltering when his friend glared at him, and stomped off into the bathroom. "Scor? Seriously, what the bloody hell?"

"Nothing," the blond said repressively, attempting to heal the bright, scarlet hand print that stood starkly out on his aristocratic face.

"I told you not to go see Rose," Albus said, crossing his arms across his chest. "So you deserve that one."

"I didn't go see her," Scorpius growled back. "I went to go see - and old friend. That's all. But I still probably deserved it." He succeeded in removing the mark, and turned to face his best mate, not sure he liked the way Albus was glaring. Certainly there was no way Al could know... No, certainly he would've gotten much worse than a slap if Al knew what had happened with him and Lily. He forced a smile, and clapped Albus on the shoulder. "Anyway, I've decided I'm going to be a bachelor forever."

Albus chuckled again, pushing aside his worries. Sure, his cousin was a bit sensitive, but he knew Rose would get over Scorpius soon enough, and there would certainly more suitors in her life. "Yeah, but it might not be by choice, mate." Scorpius laughed with him, but Albus didn't realize it was because he really had no idea how true that statement was.

XXX

"Wow, you look fabulous!" Lily smiled and spun in a slow circle for her date's admiration. She knew the turquoise silk set off her hair to the maximum and the cut of the dress was just right to showcase her curves. The low neckline was a tad daring, but Lily had always gone for anything slightly risque and with her black lace bustier peeking out, she knew she would attract more than her fair share of stares.

"You don't mind the shoes?" Lily looked worriedly at her cousin Hugo (Rose's brother who was only an inch taller than her own five-foot six), but the brunet laughed.

"Oh no, the shoes are a must!" He held out his arm gallantly, and Lily smiled as she took it, and the pair Apparated to the party. Even though it was December, Lily had opted for a short, cocktail-length dress, knowing few others would do so, and was pleased when she arrived at the Ministry of Magic and saw most women in long, flowy gowns. "Shall we do the rounds?" Hugo asked, with the air of one being forced to do something unpleasant. Being the offspring of some of the most well-known celebrities in the wizarding world (most especially in Lily's case) had meant that at any sort of Ministry function the Potter and Weasley children attended included a very long round of greeting anyone and everyone as though they knew them, and hearing great admirations heaped upon their parents.

Normally, Lily didn't mind so much; her parents were incredible people in her eyes, and she understood why the people saw her father as a hero. But for Hugo, who was painfully shy and rather reserved, it was downright torture to have to listen to dozens of people tell him how he looked so like his dear mother, and had he inherited her brains, and how wonderfully brave all the Weasleys had always been. She squeezed her cousin's arm supportively. "How about I start the rounds, bearing clockwise, and you meet up with me halfway after getting us drinks?"

Hugo smiled gratefully. Despite being only three months older, Lily had always seemed so much wiser and mature than he himself felt. "Thanks, Lils. I'll meet you back by Uncle's statue."

"Deal," she agreed, and watched him weave his way unobtrusively through the crowds toward one of the gold-liveried waiters. Sighing softly, she turned her head away as Hugo disappeared, and wandered over to talk to two old witches who greeted her warmly and complimented everything from her dress, to her shoes, to her hair profusely. "Oh, you're both far too kind and sweet!" she laughed, eyes catching Rose's familiar head off to her left. "If you'll excuse me though, just for a moment, I've just seen my cousin!" She moved away and followed after Rose through the mass of slowly moving people.

She moved against the wall, and was about to call out to her cousin who had paused to talk to some old school friends, when suddenly she caught sight of Rose's friend's companion. Her heart thudded dully in her chest and Lily had to bit her tongue to keep her mouth from falling open. He just wouldn't go away! The grey eyes were challenging her, and Lily refused to rise to their lure, knowing he would enjoy it too much. He seemed to survive on making her want to scream. Unbidden, images of his hot mouth trailing burning kisses over the nape of her neck, his velvety voice whispering erotic fantasies into her ear, his capable, long-fingered hands sliding up over her belly to cup her naked breasts greedily...

"Lily?" She snapped back into herself, just as she realized Rose had caught sight of her and had moved toward her after hurriedly excusing herself form her good friend Lois, who had gushed unthinkingly about her date and how enticingly well the evening was going so far to Rose, who had been unable to help her heart breaking all over again. "Lily, are you listening?"

"Sorry," Lily murmured, still in a daze and hating the traitorous way her veins seemed to pulse with arousal at the delectable memories. "Sorry, no, I just... I'm not feeling so great all of a sudden." Her mouth turned down at the corners, and she pulled herself firmly back to the present. "I can't believe _he's_ here."

Rose shrugged, not needing to ask who. "He works here, I guess." Her face seemed sad and distant, and Lily kicked herself mentally. Why had she mentioned it?

"You look gorgeous," Lily said brightly, and Rose, glad for the subject change, shook her head ruefully.

"No, tonight Lily, I think you're the gorgeous redhead."

Lily rolled her eyes at her cousin. There was no man alive who wouldn't realize that Rose's sexy black sheath dress, generous red lips and cascading waves of shining hair made her the most gorgeous woman in the room. "You're mad," she teased, "but I'll concede you're right."

Just then, Hugo came back along with drinks, and Lily, leaving her cousins in each other's care, claimed a need for the bathroom and wandered off. She knew perfectly where the bathrooms were, of course, but she didn't want to have to greet more people there. She wandered, instead, to the bar on the far side of the room, having handed off her glass of champagne to Rose. She needed something stronger if she was going to run into Scorpius again.

"Firewhiskey, neat please," she requested from the bartender, leaning against the bar as the man in gold poured her a drink and placed it on the napkin with a suggestive smile. She turned away sipping, a silent rebuff, and the barkeep moved away to tend to other patrons.

"Don't you look festive under the mistletoe." The drawling statement made Lily bristle, but she turned and gave Scorpius a scorching smile.

"Too bad this is one gift that's not addressed to you," she replied calmly. She wouldn't let him rile her up. She wouldn't, she wouldn't...

"And yet I might just tear you open anyway." He was smirking that damned smirk at her again and Lily was seized with the urge to smack him and/or throw her drink at him. Instead, she stepped closer, knowing full well he would be distracted by the cut of her dress and the tantalizing peek of lace.

"But then I would have to tear into you." Her tone was sweet, but her eyes flashed daggers at him and Scorpius felt his blood stir, and not just from her far-too-sexy dress.

"I might enjoy that," he said, reaching out as if to run his hand through her fiery mane of hair that hung in a silken curtain past her shoulders, but stopping himself. It was hard to remember they weren't alone. And that he was here with someone else. "But alas, I see you're here well escorted, so that may have to wait."

Confused, Lily looked over her shoulder to see Hugo hovering nearby, looking mistrustful. Lily smiled reassuringly, and he turned back to his sister, who was pointedly avoiding looking in Malfoy's direction. Good for her! Lily thought.

"Yes, so I suggest you go back to your date."

Scorpius' eyes narrowed. "You know, you-"

The redhead cut him off. "I know, I know, it could be me, blah, blah, blah..." She forced her voice to sound bored and uninterested. "But I've recently stopped dating pigs like you, so I think we're done here." She averted her gaze and made to sweep past him, but Scorpius caught her elbow and gently steered her toward the dance floor. She tried to shrug him off, but his grip turned vice-like. "Malfoy-"

"I know, I know, you'll hex my bollocks off if I don't let you go, blah, blah, blah..." Lily flushed as he mocked her, eyes glittering. "But," his eyes raked up and down her, "I doubt you have your wand stashed in that dress, so I'll take my chances. I'd be glad to dance with you, Miss Potter," he added, twirling her as the band struck up a waltz. She glared, but didn't want to make a scene, so instead, grit her teeth and forced a smile.

Scorpius felt her heat through the thin, pliant material of her dress, and felt his mouth go dry as he peeked downward and saw her luscious breasts heaving with her indignity. Merlin, anger suited her wonderfully, it was just such a shame she was so intolerable when she was mad, especially at him. He allowed his hand to slip a smidge lower and heard the sharp intake of her breath as his pinky brushed the top of her lingerie. He almost groaned out loud.

"Please get your hand off of my ass," she ground out, still smiling that dazzling, furious smile that none but him saw for what it really was; a mask to cover her growing outrage. The blond knew it wouldn't be long and wouldn't take much more prodding for her to lose herself in her frustrations and he reveled in having this one power over her.

He allowed his hand to fully cup the generous, firm cheek for a breath, before murmuring back huskily, "You know you love it as much as I do."

Lily dug her fingernails painfully into his shoulder, watching him wince very slightly and smiled. He was such a child! She said not to do something and he just went and did it anyway! Merlin, it was worse than dealing with a petulant five year old. She was saved the need for a retort when the song ended abruptly, and the Minister for Magic tapped his wand to his throat to amplify his voice. Lily took the chance to make her escape, and abruptly turned, leaving Scorpius staring after her, looking dissatisfied, as if he'd wanted to say something and hadn't gotten the chance. Well, too bad for him!

"What was that all about?" It was hard for the redhead to miss the slightly accusatory vein in her cousin's words, but Lily pushed the impatience Scorpius had flared in her away.

"I didn't want to be rude," Lily said, without thinking, still distracted by the blond man and his damnable hands. "I mean, not that I care, but there were so many people, and I didn't want everyone to think..." Lily trailed off. There was nothing she could say that would make Rose understand. In truth, she herself didn't understand fully, but she had just been unable to deny him. She sighed. "I don't know, Rosie. I'm so sorry, I never-"

"There's something you're not telling me. You're not telling anyone. Lily..." her eyes seemed to speak that she knew more than she was letting on and the sick feeling surged up in Lily's stomach. "Why _do_ you hate him so much?" Rose's soft features oozed concern, and Lily really wanted nothing more than to confide in Rose the whole terrible truth, but found her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

"I don't hate him," she choked out. "I fucking _loathe_ him." And without a word more, she turned and fled back to the Atrium and Flooed home, even before the Minister had finished his speech.

XXX

Winter came overnight in a thick flurry of snowflakes, and Lily was looking forward to spending her week of holidays in the blissful peace (if not quiet) of her Grandmother's house, the Burrow. Her father had always maintained it was his second favourite building in the world, but Lily knew it was number one for her. There was always something to help out with in the kitchen, or something to work on in the garden, or the shed with her Grandfather. At least one or more of her aunts and uncles were there whenever she happened to visit, and she found she could tell her Grandmother Molly anything. She only had one more day of studies at St. Mungo's, and then she would be on vacation for the holidays and the thought of seven days in a row to do nothing was a heady one.

Having long ago completed her Christmas shopping, Lily was enjoying the window displays around her as she strolled down the busy avenue toward the hospital, feeling almost sad that after she finished her exams in January, she'd no longer be a resident student at Mungo's. It had been a long and arduous journey, but after she took her exams, she'd finally be a full-fledged Healer, so long as she passed them, of course. Sighing, she pushed away the worries of exams, and glanced at the next window display. It was filled with a collection of mannequins, all painted noisy, shiny hues of red, green and gold, and all clad in the scantiest, sublime lingerie. She paused, debating whether to treat herself to an early Christmas gift, and found she was unable to help opening up the door to the Muggle shop.

Her red hair flowed around her on a flurry of cold wind and snowflakes, and Lily was glad of the warmth of the little boutique. The woman behind the counter, and older lady with dark auburn hair liberally streaked with veins of silver, smiled at her and told her to ask if she needed anything. The young woman wandered through the racks, fingering some of the richer fabrics, pausing here and there to examine something sinful. She was almost finished with her perusal before something toward the back caught her chocolate gaze. It was an emerald green teddy, with matching panties, that was trimmed in green lace and embroidered with shining silver threads in a delicate swirling pattern. She thumbed through the sizes, locating her own, and pulled the garments form their rack, glancing at the mirror while she held the soft material to her body, eyeballing the size.

"Would you care to try it on, dear?" the older lady asked, having come up silently from behind. Lily smiled and shook her head, hastily placing the item back on the rack.

"Oh, no, I was just seeing if it would look okay with my hair...no go I'm afraid." She smiled warmly at the lady, who looked slightly crestfallen, but urged her to look through some more of the items. Citing her lack of time, Lily excused herself, hurrying across the road toward St. Mungo's, knowing she didn't really have the money to splurge on new lingerie, but wanting it all the same.

Christmas day dawned sunny and cold, and Lily stretched in the soft sheets, hearing her Grandmother wide awake below, chattering to her family members as they woke to the lure of her home-cooked breakfast slowly but surely. Lily rubbed her eyes and sat up, stretching quietly, and smiling radiantly down at the small mountain of gifts stacked by the foot of her camp bed. She pushed a messy lock of red hair from her face, glancing around to see Rose still sound asleep, and didn't have the heart to wake her cousin to share in the Christmas Morning experience. Instead, she pulled the smallest of her gifts toward her and began unwrapping.

Half an hour later, Lily was dressed in her brand new Weasley Christmas sweater, had combed out her long hair before piling it messily atop her head, and had taken the forethought to change her pyjama pants for jeans. Her slippers flapped on the well-worn stairs that creakily announced her arrival downstairs, where the still half-asleep Lily was assaulted with a chorus of 'Happy Christmas!' from her relatives, and a warm hug from Molly especially. Nothing made Molly Weasley happier than seeing her whole family arranged in her kitchen wearing their festive sweaters.

She helped herself to coffee and breakfast, which she took into the comfortable den, fitting herself in between her two sleepy-faced brothers on the squashy old sofa. "Morning!" she said brightly. James cocked a brow but shook his head at her chirpy manner, however Albus grinned and stole a slice of her toast, looking mightily pleased with himself.

"Lovely one at that, wouldn't you say?" Albus replied, munching her toast in two large mouthfuls, chasing the hurried breakfast with a large gulp of coffee. "I have something for you; I would've left it upstairs for you, but it didn't even get here until five minutes ago." Albus' clever green gaze was alight with mischief and a sort of arrogance that Lily had come to know quite well through the years. Hesitantly, Lily took the package from her brother, unable to help but be impressed with the fancy wrapping paper and exorbitant bow.

"It's from you?" Lily asked suspiciously. She had a tingle of uncertainty in the pit of her belly and something clanged vaguely in her subconscious, warning her that this was probably not the sort of gift she really wanted. The redhead was sure her brother was trying to prank her.

"Well, not per say...rather it's more I'm the delivery man. Free of charge of course. Open it!" Albus was smiling in what Lily was sure he thought an encouraging style, but really he just looked like he couldn't wait to burst out laughing at her. Lily felt her annoyance flicker.

"So who's it from?" she demanded, staring hard into her brother's gaze, knowing that when he looked away and the tops of his ears went red, even though he still looked as perfectly trustful as an arch-angel, he was debating whether or not to lie to her.

Instead, Albus forced a smirk that forcibly reminded his sister of his devilishly loathsome blond friend, and said, "I can't tell you. But what I _can_ tell you, is that I know it's something you're going to like. At least I hope so...the sender assured me you would, anyway, so I doubt he'd cock it all up."

The alarm bell in Lily's subconscious clanged a little louder, and she heeded it, her fiery brows contracting as a sudden horrible realization occurred to her and the sick feeling welled in her stomach. Surely not... No, no, no, it's just couldn't be... No. Foolish. _Certainly_ it wasn't some kind of gift from..._him_. Her palms were sweaty and she had to think about swallowing before she could speak, her jaw working silently for a moment.

"I...I think I'll just go upstairs to open it... See if Rose is awake." Lily stood up, leaving her half-finished breakfast for a chortling Albus to finish, but retaining her coffee. If the throbbing behind her temples was an indicator, she would need the caffeine. Instead of heading all the way back up the stairs to the room she shared with her cousin, Lily simply plopped down on the first landing, off to one side, and once more ran her fingers over the thick, silvery wrapping paper. She toyed with the bow, working up the courage to open the shallow, wide box, warring in her mind as to whether or not she was going crazy.

Surely if it _was_ from him, there'd be some kind of arrogant note attached, but the wrapping was bare and even though she turned the box over and back upright in her hands, Lily didn't find one. She bit her lip and then gave in, pulling the thick red bow apart in one fell tug, fingernails working into a crease of the thick, embossed (and probably outrageously expensive) wrapping paper before shredding a long strip across the top.

The flat, wide box inside was pure white, and glossy. Suspicion and anger threatened at the mack of Lily's mind, but she pushed her fears aside, not allowing herself to feel any sort of emotion for something that swine might buy her; she wouldn't be bribed, either! She gently removed the last of the wrapping paper and took a deep breath as she lifted the lid of the box. The interior was lined with soft pink tissue, and as the redhead pulled aside the top piece, her suspicions were confirmed and her face went as bright-red as her locks.

Her mouth dropped open and she couldn't resist touching the silky golden embroidery on the rich emerald fabric, tracing the swirling designs on the top of the teddy as she had in the store less than a week ago. On impulse, she checked the size and found it was correct and her blush deepened. She was spitting mad in one half of her mind, but the other half couldn't help but be enraptured with the luxurious lingerie she had so greedily coveted. She gathered the delicate material in her hands and pressed her burning face into it, embarrassed, touched, and furious at the same time and not sure what she should feel. She made to lay the garments back in their tissue-lined box, when she was struck with the sudden urge to try them on. Smiling wickedly, she decided he would never know if she indulged herself, and hurried up the the bathroom, locking herself firmly inside and stripping hurriedly.

The fabric warmed to her body temperature the moment she slipped it on, and then she pulled out the matching panties and wriggled into them, feeling sinful and yet glorious. She knew she could never keep them, but she decided she would purchase her own set the next morning when she headed back to her flat, posing before the long mirror. Her fair skin seemed to glow iridescently where it peeked out through the sheer fabric, and the lacy scallops moulded perfectly to her breasts. The panties, which were all lace, gave only a hint of the fiery curls between her legs, and looked like fairy-vines tattooed over her creamy hips. Even her hair, which she let down to see the full effect, set off the perfect shade of green impeccably. A small note fluttered to the ground as she twirled, and she realize it must have been tucked inside the lingerie. She bent down to pick it up, and had barely registered the loopy scrawl, before she was interrupted.

A sudden loud rapping at the door had Lily diving back into her sweater and jeans, the note stuffed into her pocket hurriedly, her old bra and panties jammed into the tissue-lined box, and she opened the door, pink-cheeked, to one of her many cousins who looked still-asleep and grumpy. "It's free," she said, looking down as she hurried on up the stairs to her room. She shut the door to her and Rose's room with relief, making to change out of the sinful under things, but just as she had pulled her sweater off, Rose sat up and yawned at her, and Lily quickly pulled her sweater back down over herself, glad that at least the roomy gift would hide the much-less-roomy gift beneath it. "Happy Christmas!" Lily chirped, and Rose returned the sentiments sleepily. "Anything good?" she asked, sitting on the corner of Rose's bed as her cousin began to tear into her gifts. Under the guise of picking up stray wrapping paper, Lily bent down and covertly pulled the note from her pocket and read it. In the loopy oddly familiar scrawl, the wrods were clear as day and meant to taunt her. It read: '_Potter, I reckon even you would look good in Slytherin colours. -S._'

Lily had forgotten she was wearing the gift, and had even forgot about the note, when she helped her grandmother slide the enormous roast turkey onto the table, signaling that dinner could commence. Certain enlargements had been made to the Burrow through her lifetime, but Lily was most glad that all of her family, aunts, uncles, and cousins and their various spouses, could be seated around one extremely large table that stretched clear from one end of the kitchen, down the middle to the other. It was still a tight squeeze, but Lily mused as slid into her favourite seat, she loved watching her extended family laugh and joke and talk during dinner.

Her father sat on her left, and James sat on her right, with Albus across from him. Lily looked down the table and, frowning, did a quick head-count. Surely there was someone missing, or else who would be in the empty seat across from her, but her numbers added up the same both times she counted. Then who-?

The redhead was saved explanation when a smirking blond face sat down directly across from her. Her mouth dropped open and her cheeks went red, burning as he seemed to stare straight through her sweater at what was now burning her underneath. Her temper flared, her nipples hardened, and her eyes flashed at him, but Scorpius only smiled at the redhead knowingly. Then from her left, Harry Potter said, "Ah, Malfoy! You did make it, good! Give your father my regards."

"Yes, sir, I will, and my father sends his own to you," Malfoy replied, dipping his head with his impeccable manners and that goddamned smile. His eyes caught Lily's for another moment, but she looked pointedly at her full plate, and he met the Chosen One's eyes again, eyes that were the same as his best friend's. "Thank you for inviting me."

Prick, Lily thought, determined to ignore him and certainly not speak to him, and she took a bite of the delicious food without tasting it. He was _staring_ at her, though! Just staring, and Lily didn't even have to look up to know; she could just feel his hot, molten silver eyes on her. Roving over every inch of the lumpy, thick-knit sweater, undressing her by memory. She forced herself to swallow and could feel his eyes on her throat, could feel him watching her lips as she lifted her glass to drink. Merlin, how could one silly man be so damned annoying!?

After puddings, and and agonizing hour of coffee, Lily excused herself, kissing her Grandmother on the cheek in thanks, and bundled up in her coat, boots and mittens to take a quick turn about the garden for fresh air before bed. Her breath plumed up in a silvery cloud in the dark cold, the sun from earlier having left no mark of warmth upon the earth. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself, stomping her feet in the snow as she walked, silently cursing the blond devil whose eyes had mocked her all evening. She was debating heading back up to the house when she drew level with the far fence, but decided to withstand the chill a bit more, loving the way snow gently drifted downward in a slow-motion storm, piling itself slowly but surely up against the garden and fence posts. A shiver wriggled up her back, and Lily was about to turn to head in at last when a warm chest and two strong arms suddenly pressed up behind her, trapping her against the fence.

"You look half-frozen," a velvety voice reproached, and Lily closed her eyes for a brief moment, reminiscing, before she steeled herself against the heady warmth of Malfoy and the alluring memories that he seemed to unleash.

"I am an ice-maiden," she conceded, turning in his embrace to push him away, but before her hands could reach his chest to move him, he had captured her mouth in his own, and was kissing her hard, dominantly, in a way that brooked no refusals.

"Come away with me," Scorpius urged between fevered kisses. "Now, we'll leave, right now... It can be just like you always wanted."

Lily pulled back, dislodging her fingers from where they'd twined into his blond hair, her heartbeat slowing as her senses came back. Her face went red and hey chocolate eyes were black. "No it can't," she whispered softly, "we've already tried that." And like a shadow in the night, she slipped from his slack grip and Disapparated into the inky night.

Scorpius cursed and Disapparated right after her. He was tired of being told no, of rejection. He didn't want anyone else but her, damn it! He just had to make her realize that. But when he materialized in her apartment, he knew she couldn't be there... All the lights were off and nothing moved. He ran an impatient hand through his hair, wondering where she could possibly be, before Disapparating again.

XXX

Lily wiped the tears from her eyes, hating that she was so weak as to cry every time she thought about that nightmarish time. Her Grandmother tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked sadly at the spitting image of her own beloved daughter. "Tell me," she urged softly, cupping the young woman's face as her identical eyes radiated trusting compassion and motherly adoration. Lily found herself unable to resist unloading the secrets that had kept her from trusting (or loving for that matter) since she was only sixteen.

It had been the last semester of her fifth year, and spring was giving way to summer early that year. Lily had been walking slowly back up from watching her brother Albus' Quidditch training session, and had noticed that he'd seemed almost upset to see her there. She'd tried to talk to him after the team landed and headed to the changing rooms, but he had brushed her off, telling her to go back up to the castle and he'd talk to her there. Her teeth worried her bottom lip, her red head bent with the weight of her thoughts as she walked slowly up to the shadowed castle thoroughly swathed in balmy twilight. She wondered if Al had realized she'd borrowed his Marauder's Map (which she had really had to do to avoid being caught sneaking into Hogsmeade with her dorm-mates) without asking express permission. She'd stuffed it back into the bottom of his trunk at the first chance, but now Lily was sure that he knew she'd 'borrowed' it.

"Potter! Oi, Lily, wait up!"

Lily turned, her red hair catching the breeze and glinting golden and ruby in the fading light, shaded her eyes and squinted at the figure jogging toward her. She was about to call out to her brother when she realized it certainly couldn't be Albus striding quickly up the incline in her direction. This young man was far too tall to be her brother, and when she made out the messy tendrils of blond hair she rolled her eyes. All semester, since her birthday at the end of March, Lily had noticed that her brother's best mate had been...well, _different_.

He had always tried to bait her into shouting at him, or attempted to provoke her into doing or saying something rash, and he had certainly been no stranger to partaking in a little vicarious sibling hazing through his friend, whom he often concocted plans with to torment Lily's existence. But ever since her fifteenth birthday, which had been celebrated at the beginning of the Easter holidays and to which Albus had naturally invited him, Scorpius Malfoy had simply...grown up around her. He smiled indulgently all through that week-long holiday at her tellings of various petty friend dramas, had laughed at her jokes and jabs against her brothers (especially Albus), and Lily had caught him more than once, simply staring at her when he thought she wouldn't notice, a faraway look in his eyes, his face not quite smiling and set in pensive lines.

So when he caught up with her, panting a little at the exertion of hustling up the hill after her, but smiling winningly, Lily allowed herself to hope that maybe they would finally be able to get to know one another properly. After all, he'd spent many holidays at their house through his Hogwarts years, and now that he was about to come of age, Lily wondered what sort of person he really was deep down. She tossed her red hair over one shoulder so it wouldn't blow in her face, and resumed her slow walk up to the castle, Scorpius falling into step beside her. "Damn, you walk fast for being so short!" Lily glanced sharply at him, but although his eyes were teasing, his smile was still warm, and she felt the comment was meant as a compliment. Her smile dazzled.

"That's not even me in first gear," she laughed, pushing him slightly, the way she would to one of her brothers. But then it dawned on her, like a bolt of lightning striking the ground without warning, Scorpius was certainly _not_ her brother. She felt her cheeks go pink and hoped it wasn't obvious in the twilight. A fluttering of butterflies erupted in her belly and a foreign, giggly sort of nervousness rippled through her; she wasn't sure why, but it had just now, this moment, become glaringly obvious that Scorpius was a man, and she was _very_ attracted to him. Her arms felt oddly too long, and her tongue felt too large in her mouth. Damn it, was this the feeling all girls had around him?

Scorpius laughed, reaching out to gently, teasingly, tug a strand of rebellious crimson hair. "Normally I wouldn't dare refuse so blatant a racing challenge," he drawled, tucking the errant hair behind her ear for safekeeping, "however as I'm bloody knackered from your brother's obsessive training regime, I pray, goddess, take pity on me." Lily cocked a ginger brow.

"Surely you have a few miles left in that old engine," she retorted, eyes sparkling. Her heart was beating too loud in her chest, and it almost went into overdrive as he reached for her hand, insistently, gently, tugging her closer. Lily felt her breathing come in anxious gasps, her butterflies now beating fervently up through her belly and into her chest, making her dizzy.

"Oh fear not, Potter, I have plenty of miles left, even if I will be an old man soon," his grin turned crooked and Lily found an unbearable tension building somewhere deep and secret inside of her.

Scorpius glanced down the hill and moved slightly further away, and Lily, following his gaze, saw the blurred, dark images of the rest of the Quidditch team trudging up the lawns in the gloom. She could feel the blond youth's hesitancy, clearing not wanting to let her go and yet more clearly not wanting to deal with her brother and best mate at this moment. Lily made his mind up for him as the figures began to come into focus in the half-light. "Meet me tomorrow night," she whispered spontaneously. "By the greenhouses; eight o'clock." She released his hand and stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek, and then she was gone, hurrying up to her common room.

Malfoy waited, rooted to the spot, until Albus was upon him, green eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Were you talking to Lily?" he asked.

Scorpius felt a traitorous twinge of guilt before he lied smoothly, "Yes, and you're sister, I must say, has quite a mouth on her." The blond could've kicked himself, but his friend merely laughed, clapping him hard on the shoulder.

"Gave you a tongue-lashing, eh? Yeah, she does that, but she's really a nice person, deep down. I mean, like, subterranean deep, but it's in there somewhere. You just have to learn how to not piss her off, Scor." The blond smirked as he fell into step with his dorm-mate and greatest friend, not speaking until they were down in the labyrinth of corridors not far from the dungeons, and just upon the Slytherin common room entrance.

"I think I might be getting there," he said, and although Albus had forgotten what they were even talking about, Scorpius could see Lily in his mind's eye, staring up at him, her sweet, lithe body begging for the untold pleasures he could wrought upon it while her naively innocent mind longed only for kisses and gentle hand-holdings, her mouth parted invitingly with that delicious lower lip pouting for more, and he knew he'd never see a more sensual creature. "I think I might just be getting there."

By the time Malfoy and her brother and the rest of the seventh years had sat their exams, Lily, had sat her Apparition test and passed with flying colours, and Scorpius had finally found something that was more enjoyable than provoking Lily Potter into a senseless rage; he had found it was much more pleasurable for them both if he instead put his considerable talents into building her into a writhing mass of pleading, screaming pleasure.

Lily had never felt so alive, and even though they told no one, and never made outwardly gestures, the brief, fleeting evenings and the one all-consuming night she had shared with Scorpius had opened her eyes to what love must really be like. All of her friends had professed love in the third or fourth years, but Lily saw that their confused accounts of the emotion paled considerably to the raw, passionate feeling Scorpius riled in her. And while her dorm mates and friends confided the more tame details of their own sexual encounters and experimentation, Lily found that all she could share was a secret smile among her two closest friends, and admit only that she fully understood the meaning of 'doing the deed'. Despite their relentless pestering, Lily said nothing of her charmer, or who he might be, and her friends eventually gave up trying to get it out of her.

On his graduation night, Scorpius was lying with his young lover, watching her breathing return to normal in the sticky heat of Greenhouse Three. He absently toyed with a lock of her flaming hair. She chuckled and groaned on the same breath, her body's passion stirring the embers of her earlier release. "Mmm, Scor, you have to stop, we're going to get caught."

The redhead laughed and wriggled out from under him, sitting up and hurriedly pulling her clothes toward her before the blond devil could persuade her without words to stay. She checked her faithful wristwatch and cursed softly; it was already past curfew! "Shit, Scor, walk me back up, hurry get dressed!" She stood up and wriggled into her skirt, searching for her panties on their makeshift bed (an old blanket cast across the dusty, dirty floor). She giggled, blushing, combing out her hair with her fingers as her other hand tugged him toward the doors.

They were silent as they walked hurriedly back up to the castle, neither speaking aloud the words they had originally met to exchange. Finally, Lily gathered up her Gryffindor courage as he delivered her safe to the portrait hole, and grasped his hands nervously to stay his goodnight kiss. "Scor, we need to-"

"Shh." He pressed a finger to her lips. "We have time still... If I have my way, we'll have forever. Tomorrow. We'll talk tomorrow." He bent to kiss her, cupping her lovely face in his hands as though she were a precious jewel. "Now get up to bed."

Lily wanted to press the issue, but instead she smiled, snuck through the portrait hole, and slipped through the common room and up to bed, falling asleep minutes later, smiling. She knew, in her heart of hearts, that they would be together forever; it was meant to be. Not destiny like Rose claimed she and Scorpius were, but more than that...much more.

The next morning, Lily woke and headed down to the Great Hall as usual, glancing across the large, spacious room to seek out her lover's sleek blond head, but instead, she only saw Albus, looking miserable, sitting alone at the Slytherin table. She moved toward him, a sick sort of feeling welling up inside her. "Hey," she said softly, sinking onto the bench beside her brother, placing a careful hand on his shoulder. "What's up?" She didn't dare ask where Scorpius was, not for the life of her, but the fear crept further in on her mind and anxiety made her mouth dry.

The green-eyed youth shrugged off her hand. "Nothing... Just... Well, y'know how Scor _always_ comes to spend the first two weeks of summer with us?" Lily nodded mutely. "Well he left early today, and told me he couldn't make it this year, and he was really sorry. Apparently his father sent for him, but... I dunno, it feels almost like he just doesn't want to come." The wide shoulders shrugged and Albus smirked at his sister. "Oh well. He probably just has to deal with all his pureblood, coming of age shit."

Lily nodded mutely, her ears ringing, her heart breaking, her head threatening to explode. She stared at a mar in the beautiful wood grain in the table before her, even as Albus rambled on about still being invited to Scorpius' place the first few weeks of August, hearing nothing. She had fallen for him like a ton of bricks and he had just moved on, like nothing, even after promising her forever only the night before. How foolish she had been! How stupid and naive! He couldn't _love her_, at least not in the way she loved him, and she had actually thought he _meant_ the things he said. Stupid!

Anger flooded through her veins, throbbing and making her dizzy as a bitter taste in the back of her throat melted the lump her tears had brought. Like hell she was going to cry over him! Bastardly rogue! The white-hot rage lessened the dull ache in her chest, and Lily felt as though she'd been slapped back into her senses. She thought she'd been in love, but it was all just hormones, and lust, and crazy teenage passion.

XXX

She sniffled, the tears finally subsiding, and lifted her head from her Grandmother's comforting embrace, scrubbing at her face with the rough sleeves of her sweater. It was like a slave on a burn, having finally let the tormenting secret out. She had never really _hated_ Malfoy, she had felt for him dearly, but she couldn't, _wouldn't_, let him trample her heart again. No, not while she still had breath in her lungs and passion in her veins. "I'm sorry, I just didn't know what to do," Lily murmured, feeling kind of silly now that she looked on everything clearly from the safe warmth of Molly Weasley's kitchen. The old woman patted her hand, eyes crinkling in a smile the same way Lily's did.

"Oh there, dear, it's never something to be sorry about. I've heard my share of unrequited love stories, dearie, but let me just give you the same advice I gave all those other girls who cried in my kitchen, including your mother!" Molly bustled away from the table and came back, wand in hand, a motherly sort of 'you listen up now' kind of expression dominating her kind, plump features. "You just realize that if he loves you, he'll come round. They all do; it just takes them longer to realize what they've overlooked, because they're men. But I'm sure this young lad-" Lily had purposely left out names "-will come for you before you know it. Just don't punish him for his blindness dearie. Let him open up your heart."

Lily impulsively hugged her grandmother, knowing the elder woman's wisdom would never lead her into harm. She felt much better, older and wiser too, now that she had finally gotten things off her chest. "Thanks, Gramolly," she said reverting to her childhood name for her favourite person in the world. "You're the best."

"Are you sure you won't stay tonight?" Molly asked, looking over her granddaughter critically, already knowing the answer to her question. Lily shook her head.

"You've done more than enough for me, I'll be alright now." She smiled softly, hugged her grandmother once more, and then took her leave.

Her flat was in deep shadows when she arrived home, and Lily wanted nothing more than a bath and her warm bed. She went to her bath in the ancient claw-footed tub, undressing slowly as the tub filled with steaming water and lilac-scented bubble bath. She caught her gaze in the mirror and was startled to remember she was still wearing the seductive green lingerie. Her cheeks went pink, imagining what Scorpius would say if he saw her in his gift, and she removed her under things with care, folding them gently. She slipped into the hot, scented bath and closed her eyes, her imagination spinning away with her. She knew, next time she saw Scorpius, she would be strong enough to forgive him, and take whatever she could get from him, but, unlike her grandmother had suggested, Lily knew she would never be able to give him her heart again.

The blond man sipped his drink, frowning at the bottom of his seventh glass of Firewhiskey through slightly unfocused grey eyes. His mood felt as thunderous and miserable as his eyes, and he pressed the still-cold glass against his forehead to soothe his headache. He had been so close, _so close_, to having Lily fall under his spell again he could practically taste it, but she had eluded him once more. Damn the vixen! His eyes closed and he reread the letter that was burned into his memory from the fateful evening of his graduation day.

He had returned to his common room to find his screech owl, Octavius, patiently awaiting him, a thick, cream-coloured envelope tied to his leg. The blond patted the bird as he removed the letter, allowing the bird to nibble gently at his fingers after he had relived him of his burden. The Malfoy family crest stood out in shimmering emerald ink against the envelope and Scorpius frowned as he slit into his letter. It was addressed most informally to him in his father's own hand and read thusly:

_Son,_

_ It has come to my attention of late, that you have been parading around school, never tying yourself down to a single woman. Although it would please me greatly to see you soon wedded and with an heir of your own, I can understand your hesitancy to take a bride so young. I can appreciate your need to experience the world, and 'sow your wild oats', but I feel the need to stress to you the utter importance of finding a good match to uphold the family name. Marriage is a business agreement, son, and with your leave, I have set up several matches that I invite you to explore over the summer. Worry not, they are not all stodgy purebloods, and so instead of you commencing your holidays at the Potters' I am asking you to come directly home, tomorrow if you can, to begin the whirlwind of dinners your mother has planned to start you on your hunt for the right woman. Please reply immediately, and by all means, if you've found the girl, let me know! I should hate to impose something upon you that you certainly do not want._

_ Respectfully yours, Father._

Scorpius had stared at the letter in astonishment, because for all his father's talk of it being _his_ choice, he knew that choice would factor very little into the decision he'd make to be wed. And mostly, he couldn't help but think of Lily, lying in her bed, somewhere upstairs, and his promise of forever with her. he hurriedly, despite his exhaustion, pulled out parchment, quill and ink and scribbled out a quick reply.

_Father - I have found her, so tell mother to cancel her parties. I have no hesitations marrying her tomorrow, but I doubt she'd be overly thrilled with the idea. You see, she has yet to finish her schooling, and I would prefer to wait if only for her sake. That and we haven't told her family we're even together; it's complicated. I can come home tomorrow if you'd still like, and with your leave, I want to bring Lily with me. It's Lily, father, Lily Potter, she's the one. _He paused in his writing, trying to think how best to put it, before he bit his lip and scrawled, _I can't explain it, not properly anyway, but I'll tell you more tomorrow. Yours, Scorpius._

The blond quickly posted the letter, wondering if his father would receive the letter that evening, or the next morning. He had just started to drift off back to sleep, when a loud tapping at the window roused him from bed and had him padding across the room to open the window for Octavius. The owl glared, taking flight as soon as he was divested of his reply letter, clearly not pleased at having his hunting hours interrupted. Scorpius debated putting off the letter until the morning, but couldn't wait. He went back to his bed and hurriedly scanned his father's reply. It was blotted and messy, and the elder Malfoy had clearly been upset while writing it; for one, he had this time been addressed by his full name.

_Scorpius Heraldo Malfoy,_

_ You will return home tomorrow, first light, and we shall speak then. But I will tell you now, that marriage to the child of Potter will not be spoken aloud in my household, understand? You will come home, attend your mother's functions, and look for a _suitable_ bride to give you an heir. I will say no more on this._

_ Be home at dawn._

Scorpius threw his glass to the ground, watching it shatter against the brick of the fireplace, spraying dangerous shards in all directions. He hated himself for cowing under his father's letters. He had gone home, sure, but he had refused attendance at all of the events his parents had so scrupulously planned, refused to even speak for the first week to his father, and when he finally did speak, he shouted, and the Malfoy men held a towering row. Draco refused him his inheritance if he proceeded to court Lily Potter, and Scorpius had dismissed his father's money with a sneer, stating he'd rather be a pauper than bend to the old man's wishes. Finally, with his mother's persuasion, Scorpius agreed he wouldn't wed Lily, and Draco conceded he could keep her as a mistress, but never a wife.

Fucking aristocratic, snobby parents! Scorpius' whiskey-addled mind was cruel, even as he levered himself out of his favourite armchair in the library and helped himself to more of his father's pricey liquor. He hadn't had the heart to look at Lily again, until recently, and know he could never have her forever. It made his heart ache and his libido rage, just to know that she deserved everything he could never give her, and he had gone mad trying to persuade her to stay with him, even if she could only ever be a mistress.

XXX

Lily Potter examined herself in the mirror, unsure if the dress was too much, even for her. It was New Year's Eve, and she'd been invited to an exclusive party held by top Ministry and St. Mungo's executives and the elite tier of the wizarding world society. She smirked, admitting there were perks to having famous parents, definitely. She crowned her long curtain of shimmering red hair with a last swipe of Sleakeazy's Hair Potion, and surveyed the low-cut, low-backed, high-slitted shimmering gold ballgown she'd chosen last minute to wear to the festive bash. Her mouth pursed, and she grabbed a sheer black shawl to ward off any sort of chill (or wanted probing gazes) she might get, and picking up her clutch, headed out of her bedroom to the knocking at her door.

Despite herself, Lily felt a thrill of anticipation as she opened her front door to the tall, blond man who waited with an appreciative sweep of her outfit as she slid into her heels and locked up with a tap of her wand. He was no Scorpius Malfoy, certainly, but she'd managed over the last week to push thoughts of that particular blond devil out of the fore of her mind, locking them safely back up to shield herself against her emotions. She gave Lorcan Scamander a dazzling smile, and allowed him to wrap his arm intimately around her waist as the Disapparated out to the party.

They arrived in a long line of milling guests, all waiting for the grand doors that would lead to the Minister's offices to open, and Lily relaxed agaisnt Lorcan's strong arm at her back, feeling uneasy despite her forced calm. She didn't even have to look around to feel him there, staring at her, stalking her with his grey eyes. She smiled up at her date as he squeezed her gently. "You look incredible," he breathed, and she knew the young man had no difficulty imagining her without the dress or shawl. The thoughts made her belly quiver and her nipples strain against the fabric of her gown, but her heart continued to beat placidly in her chest. Nothing. Curious...

"Thank you," she replied, and felt hot eyes boring into the back of her head. She smiled radiantly up at Lorcan, but before she could flash Scorpius a triumphant glare, the doors swung wide and her date escorted the redheaded beauty into the party.

Waiters milled around in long, white robes, many giving Lily sidelong glances that she didn't notice. Her and Lorcan found their seats for the formal dinner, and the talked openly and easily about their favourite shared subject, Healing. Lorcan was a year behind her in the same program, and with Lily sitting her exams in just a few short weeks' time, he was eager to know what she thought might be most likely to come up. The conversation flowed around and between them, and Lily lost track of time and lost track of the hounding eyes that had at first seemed to burn her with _his_ possessive stares. She found Lorcan charming, and very similar to herself, and she realized she was thoroughly enjoying herself as the puddings were cleared away.

"May I have this dance?" he asked politely, lifting her from her seat with a kiss on the back of her hand and a warm smile that set Lily's thoughts scattering through her fiery head. She laughed freely.

"Most certainly, kind sir," she replied in her most posh accent, smiling and allowing him to lead her into a slow, sensual waltz. The room was a blur of colour and vague shapes as he spun her through the steps of the dance, he golden dress lifting and whispering around her legs and his as they danced sinuously together. Lily wondered if she'd had too much wine and laughed out loud, throwing her head back. She hadn't been good and properly drunk in a while, and found it was not only the wine that was making her feel so light and carefree, but the drunken happiness of sharing dances and promising looks with Lorcan, who twirled and spun her magnificently on the dance floor.

After a seeming age, they removed themselves from the dance floor, and Lorcan slipped away to fetch them drinks. The countdown wasn't long off, and Lily found she was looking forward to having this delightful man kiss her silly at the stroke of midnight, and vowed that if he brought her home, she would be able to lay the demons of Scorpius and her past behind her. She was smiling to herself, looking out one of the long, wide windows onto the glittering panorama of London below her. It was beautiful, at night, this bustling ancient city. Sighing, her smile widened as she watched a dark-suited blond, warped in the window's reflection, approaching her, only a single drink clutched in his long-fingered hands. "What, did you forget about me...?" The words faltered and died as she turned and came face to face with a frighteningly angry-looking Scorpius.

"I wish I could you temptress, but it has proven impossible." He was drunk, or well on his way, Lily noticed, by the way he slurred his words, and the dishevelment of his blond locks; they looked as though he'd styled them blindfolded with mittens on. "And wherever has that little prick gone, just leaving you here to fend for yourself?"

Lily's temper flared and blood rushed into her face as her hands balled into fists. "You don't get the right to call him that," Lily hissed. "Lorcan is _far_ more of a gentleman than you'll ever be, and I happen to be having a _wonderful_ time with him." Her chin rose and her red hair seemed to crackle with energy as she drew herself up to her full high-heeled height. Her chocolate eyes were darkening and Scorpius found his arousal running rampant already.

"Ah, but I never claimed to be a gentleman," the blond murmured, wrapping a possessively intimate arm around her, drawing her closer to him. She was still shorter than him, despite her four inch heels, and glared up into his eyes coldly. "And tell me, darling, does he make your blood boil?" Scorpius' lips brushed her ear as he leaned in, whispering the words only for her. "Does he make you want to scream out loud?" His devilish tongue snaked out to flick her earlobe and even Malfoy was shocked at his audacity. "Do you want to throw him on the floor and _fuck_ him, Lily? ...Somehow I think not."

White hot flashes of arousal sang through her veins, lighting up every nerve ending on their way to her brain, making the redhead woozy and even angrier. How dare he! How dare the bastard come and presume to know what she wanted!? She didn't allow herself to admit he was right in the slightest, telling herself, instead, that she didn't want the all-consuming passion he brought bubbling out of her, she wanted the steady, peaceful adoration Lorcan radiated outward. Her hand came up to slap him, but he caught her wrist and laughed, licking her pulse-point, tasting the bitter tang of her perfume and feeling the heady throb of her anger. Christ, she was intoxicating. "I hate you," she growled between bared teeth, wrenching her hand free of his.

The pureblood let her go, smiling, his eyes mocking her, daring her to try and make a scene. "Yes, darling, but don't you know? Love and hate are two side of the same coin." He laughed at her then, dark and mirthless, and melted back into the crowd. Lily wanted to cry she was so frustrated at his maddening behavior, and was grateful to see a quizzical Lorcan weaving his way toward her, two glasses of bubbling champagne cradled in one large hand.

"Everything alright?" he asked hesitantly, unsure if his date would laugh, cry, or punch him in the mouth. Lily settled on smiling, trying her best to recover herself after the assault Scorpius had once again unleashed on her senses and emotions, accepting her drink gratefully, downing half the contents immediately. She would show the blond fucking bastard not to toy with her...

"Lovely," she replied, giggling a little, even as the countdown started toward the new year. Lily glanced out the window at the shimmering, tiny lights that dotted the city below and pulled Lorcan down to kiss her full on the mouth, curving her body against his with primitive instinct, even before the countdown reached three. She didn't let him go until well after zero, and he laughed like a boy, brushing confetti from her long hair. "Take me home," she breathed, glancing up from under her lashes coquettishly, tilting her head gently to one side. She wasn't above begging, but wouldn't have to.

As she waited in the cooler air, Lily pulled her shawl firmly around herself, snuggling down further into Lorcan's borrowed coat. He had gone ahead to 'make necessary notifications' at home (which meant kick his twin brother out for the night), but had left Lily with his coat and promised to be back for her. The redhead shifted her precarious balance against the side of the fireplace in the Ministry's Atrium, waiting slightly impatiently for Lorcan's return.

Just when she was beginning to worry her lower lip, wondering what could possibly take so long, she turned at the sound of the lift jangling and opening on this level. Her curious chocolate eyes, glazed with the three glasses of champagne and two glasses of wine she'd had, easily recognizing the long, lean frame of Malfoy. She teeth grit of their own accord, and heat seemed to shimmer out from her. She felt suddenly embarrassed, waiting her for Lorcan to return for her, but lifted her chin haughtily and pointedly looked away.

Scorpius weaved his way over, leaning one arm against the fireplace, eyes raking her dress and the offending coat. "So I see your would-be suitor has left you high and dry," he drawled caustically. His eyes were dark and stormy, and Lily found herself riling up. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "has he realized your siren's song will just mutilate him on the rocks so soon? Pity."

lily wanted to smack the smirk off his face and her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Fuck you, Malfoy," she scoffed, pushing away from the fireplace and striding angrily across the room.

"I'll bet you'd like to, vixen," he challenged, pursuing her. He stalked her like a lion stalking prey, silent and dangerous.

Her eyes were cold. "Actually, I'd rather be on my back with a _real_ man fucking my brains out," she tossed back, sneering in a way that would've made a lesser man back off. But Scorpius was beyond horny and the alcohol bolstered him; he'd be damned if he let her get the last word!

"You could if you came home with me." She laughed without humor and the pureblood almost growled, gripping her face in his hands so that she was forced to look at him. "Or maybe you need more than one prick to satisfy you; tell me, has the little whelp gone home to beg his twin to join you two?"

Lily flinched from his words and the filth that spilled so easily from his tender mouth. Her eyes were wide and Scorpius wanted to kick himself as he saw the hurt flash across them, knowing he'd gone too far, but too far gone to try redeeming himself. He just couldn't stand to see her in the arms of another man, knowing he would touch and caress and fondle all the places he longed to have all to himself, knowing that someone else would bring her to the height of ecstasy and make her writhe and shout in blissful oblivion. If he couldn't have her, no one would. "As a matter of fact, he has," Lily said calmly, her chest heaving to bely her forced poise. His eyes were drawn straight to he luscious cleavage and his cock throbbed painfully. He could see she was madder then he'd ever pushed her and wanted her to fly at him, lose control, so he could tame her and take her right here on the polished floor that reflected the twinkling ceiling.

"Marry me."

The words hung like like a ripe peach, begging to be plucked from above and devoured in a mess of succulent sweet flesh, in the air between them, and Lily's mind reeled. Maybe it was the wine, or Scorpius, or some heady combination of both, but Lily didn't believe her ears. "What?" she blurted out, seeing her own confused shock mirrored in Scorpius' face.

"Marry me," he breathed, hands sliding with easy familiarity around her waist, drawing her flush to him. He knew she would feel his hardness pressed into her lower abdomen and he certainly felt the heavy weight of her lovely breasts pressed delectably against his chest. "Now. Tomorrow. Whenever you want. Just don't deny me a second longer, Lily." His mouth covered hers, and Lily braced for the sensual onslaught that would come, but instead of being hard, his lips were warm and pliant, his whiskey-laced breath fanning hot and bothersome over her face, and she was caught at unawares as he kissed her deep and solidly, but without trying to force anything on her.

She pulled away, her head aching and her body screaming for his touch, but she shook her head. "No, no, I can't... Lorcan..." She glanced wildly around, like a trapped animal, chocolate eyes darting around as her shimmering red hair cascaded around her shoulders. Her cheeks were red and her eyes glazed, but her mouth was open, her tongue tasting the remnant flavour of his drink in a tantalizing pink tour around her lips. Scorpius wanted to shake her, but held off, his gentle hands caressing her through the fabric of her dress instead, knowing if he waited she'd come to her senses. He just had to be more patient, something he wasn't well-suited to doing. The backs of his fingers stroked down the side of her cheek, across a collar bone, over the pert swell of her bosom, flicking the hard nipple through her gown. "Scor..." Her voice was raspy and she leaned up to kiss his cheek and the rebuff stung hard. He stiffened and glared over her shoulder at Scamander, who stood looking on with a crestfallen expression.

He released his hold on her, and Lily, confused, looked into his face and followed his eyes to Lorcan's deflated expression. She hadn't even heard him. She smiled sadly at Scorpius and set herself back, turning and fleeing to the safety of Lorcan's outstretched arms. He was solid, and safe, and there, rubbing her back soothingly, murmuring useless sentiments that everything was going to be okay. "Take me home," she said again, but they both knew she meant her own home, not his.

Scorpius, who had heard her tortured whisper, threw in the philosophical towel. He had lost, lost bad, and it hurt like a mother fucker, but not nearly as much as it hurt to see Lily safely ensconced in arms that weren't his own. She'd played him, just like he'd played her cousin and at least a dozen other women, leading him on, promising things she would never keep to, only she didn't use words, she spoke through her body to him, and his own unfulfilled needs were raging out of control. He punched the wall, felt his two middle knuckles fracture, and welcomed the obliviousness of the physical pain. He;d regret it in the morning, much as he would most of the evening's events, but for now, Scorpius trudged home slowly, the Muggle way, trying to clear his head.

He'd cocked up royally, but that didn't matter. Lily had chosen someone else, and he was a big loser. So instead of heading to St. Mungo's as a rational voice in his head suggested, the blond instead weaved his way home and drank himself into a stupor.

XXX

Lily was making her morning rounds, her first day as a full-fledged healer getting off to a promising start. She had four active cases in her ward, one settled case where the patient would be leaving today, and one more new case coming in. She picked up the chart for the patient who was leaving, a nice old witch who had slipped in her garden and broken several bones in her leg and hip. Due to her age, the Healing team had decided against using Skele-Gro (the painful side-effects might have worsened her condition) and Lily had helped through her residency to come up with a much milder version of the potion. Although this milder potion had to be administered much more often, Lily felt an immense sort of satisfaction at having helped this sweet old lady to resume her day-to-day life. She scrawled her signature under the final diagnosis of a clean bill of health for the woman and promised to see her off before her shift ended.

The redhead, whose hair was tucked up into a neat chignon to keep it off her face, brushed a few wayward tresses that curled defiantly around her face away. She then strode down the hall to check on Mr. Perkins, a middle-aged man with quite the temper, who had undergone a massive fall resulting in the breaking of every bone in his body. He would still need monitoring and a few more doses of Skele-Gro, but Lily felt certain he'd make a full recovery... If he didn't drive the nurses bonkers first, she mused, smiling at the man's antics as he chatted up the no-nonsense day nurse, trying to persuade her a sip or ten of whiskey would be just what his body needed. Having dealt with Perkins, she then picked up the chart for her newest patient to peruse it before going in to examine his injuries.

He was a young male, according to his chart, with several badly broken knuckles and a broken nose. Lily cocked a fiery brow, noting the little note one of the younger nurses had pinned inside his chart. _Such a hunk! Let's hope his broken nose doesn't ruin it!_ Lily rolled her eyes and pulled the note out, crushing it in her palm and tossing it into the wastebasket as she strode from her station down the other hall that formed her tiny ward. Leave it to some young nurse to end up mooning over a patient!

Lily opened the door with her most businesslike manner, tucking the chart under her arm, and breezing into the sunny overnight room before stopping dead in her tracks. "Malfoy." The blond looked up, pain contorting his handsome face that was slightly swollen from his clearly broken nose. His hand, however, was double the size it should have been and Lily couldn't stop the surprised and concerned expression that jumped onto her face the moment she recognized him. "What are you doing here?" she asked stupidly, blushing when he smirked at her.

"Waiting to see the Healer. Any idea when she'll be here? The old guy down the hall told me she's a real bitch, so I expect it's that old broad I saw confiscating his liquor."

Lily's jaw clenched. "Well sorry to disappoint, but _I'm_ the resident Healer in this ward now, so I'm afraid the bitch is here." Scorpius ducked his head, shoulders quaking with mirth, even though his hand hurt like all hell.

Lovely. "Patch me up, then, will ya, doc?" He gestured to his swollen right hand, and Lily felt a twinge of guilt. She hadn't seen Scorpius since their last fateful meeting and found that in the sobering light of day, he looked decidedly the worse for wear.

"No, no," she fussed, pulling up the rolling stool and taking his face in her capable hands, examining the broken nose. "The nurse who admitted you left me a note asking specifically to fix your face first, so without ado..." She pulled her wand out and Scorpius flinched when she pointed it at his face. She chuckled, eyes challenging. "Jumpy?"

Scorpius tamped down the urge he had to just lean in and kiss her. That probably wouldn't go so well with her wand sticking him in the eyes, or in his painfully swollen nose, and he didn't want to rile her up before she fixed him up first. "Maybe," he conceded. "It's not often I've got a beautiful woman promising to perfect my face again." He tried for charm and when she blushed, knew she'd taken it as such. Good.

"How did you get this anyway?" she asked absently, setting the fracture in his aristocratic nose with a quick _Episkey!_ and turning to make a note on her chart. "Hand."

The blond placed his right hand gingerly in her two, much smaller alabaster ones, before sighing, "I told Al." Lily, who was now in full Healer mode, almost missed what he said as she examined his knuckles. She gingerly pressed down on the more swollen of the two knuckles and Scorpius hissed, "Ouch! Fuck that hurts! Careful if you please."

"You told Al what?" Her eyes stared into his even as she gently cradled his hand in her own, asking silent questions. "You didn't-?"

Scorpius nodded, wincing as she clenched his hand a bit harder by accident. "I told him everything. Well, as much as I understand..." He gave her a pointed look and Lily felt the sick wriggling with guilt her he stomach. She knew she was far from blameless. "Anyway, that explains the broken nose."

Lily rolled her eyes. Typical Al; he'd probably punched his best friend and then apologized and helped him to St. Mungo's. Albus was never one to hold a grudge. "And the knuckles?" she asked, releasing his hand to stride over to her cabinet and retrieve a bottle of Skele-Gro. Scorpius made a face, choosing not to answer.

"Surely you have something that tastes less like dying than that?" he asked, eyeing the bottle with distaste. He'd been forced to take a dose of the vile potion when he'd cracked his head as a small child, and had vowed at the age of six to never be force-fed it again. "Anything."

Lily smiled sweetly. "Well, there is the new potion I've developed - I managed to give it a cherry flavour, but I'm afraid you don't _quite_ fit the requirements."

The blond cocked a pale eyebrow. "Which would be?" This gentle, impersonal sparring with her felt great. He'd spent too many nights in the last few weeks getting drunk and punching random things, and he missed Lily's sharp mind and her knack for putting him in his place with a sharp retort. It went without saying he also missed her enticingly curvaceous body to boot.

"Well you're not yet over the age of fifty, which is the commonly agreed upon age where Skele-Gro does more harm than good." Lily felt a thrill of wickedness and added, without blushing, "And I doubt the lack of use in your right hand impedes your daily life, though I'm certain you'd deem wanking with your left hand could be considered an impediment." Scorpius laughed out loud at her bawdiness, but sobered as she measured out his dose of Skele-Gro. She was a woman like no other, that was for certain.

"Do I really have to take this?" he asked, looking like a child who thought about refusing medical care. Lily smiled angelically.

"Let's just say, if you don't, I'll be forced to restrain you and dose you myself." And when she slid the small cup toward him, even as his pupils darkened at the thought of her restraining him in a much more compromising way, he resignedly picked up the little tin mug and downed it with a grimace. "Now you rest up and I'll send the pretty nurses in to give you something for the pain." Her eyes were teasing, but her voice was soft and motherly as she moved to the door. Scorpius settled into the pillows, feeling at ease for the first time in awhile. Even if she never wanted him, and got married to and had children with that bloody prick Scamander, he would be okay with things as long as she looked at him that way, and teased him with a smile on her face. Hell, he might even try to break a few more limbs to come back and see her in those form-fitting lime-green robes.

"No," he murmured, closing his eyes. "Just send in that Healer bitch. She's got a great ass."

Lily chuckled and closed his door, shaking her head. She had just managed to have a mostly perfectly civilized conversation with Malfoy, and she had to admit, it was good to see him, even after everything. Humming to herself, she went on her lunch break, making sure to jot down her notes on his chart. Then a thought occurred to her, and she pulled out a scrap of parchment, scribbling the note with a smirk and glittering eyes before tucking it safely in his file.

After lunch, Lily set about her afternoon rounds, popping down to do a few emergency consults in the waiting room before she managed to get back to Malfoy's room. He was sleeping, however, and she simply stood over his bed, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Her grandmother's words from Christmas floated back to her from their vault that contained every scrap of memory involving her one-time lover. '_If he loves you, he'll come round._' Lily pursed her mouth and brushed the blond hair tenderly back from his forehead. He had asked her to marry him, but he'd been drunk and far too horny to be serious. She wondered if she could give him a different answer if he asked now...

Shaking herself, Lily forced her mind back onto work. No use dwelling on dreams, her father had always said, and so she proceeded to lift his injured hand gingerly, pressing into the moderately less-swollen flesh, determining the Skele-Gro was doing it's job properly. She jotted down a note to have him dosed with more anti-inflammatory potions to reduce the swelling and make her ministrations easier, and left her chart on the bed to go and check her supply across the hall.

Scorpius, who had been feigning sleep from the moment she touched his hand, watched her rise from under his long blond lashes, and peeked around with one eye before picking up his own chart in his left hand. He scanned his diagnosis quickly (four days in this place? yeah right!) and then thumbed through Lily's neatly scrawled notes on his care and injuries. He smiled when he found the one tucked between the two sheets of his admittance forms. Naughty girl! In her neat scrawl, Lily had written: _Be advised, patient appears to be under the impression he's single... He's not._

"So, you're going round telling the nurses I'm not a bachelor, eh?" Scorpius drawled. His hand now felt fine, but he had bent to his Healer's wishes to rest it one more day, and now took pleasure in making her life a three-ring circus while she was at the hospital.

Lily's guilty blush was enough of an answer, but he still delighted in hearing her denials. "I did no such thing!" she shrilled, smacking him in the arm as she rolled over to his bedside on her stool. "Hand."

"Oh, no, that smack has sent me into a relapse," Scorpius teased, flapping his wrist before her. "But really, I saw the note, darling, why ever would you do such a thing?"

Lily rolled her eyes as she took his hand to examine it. He'd taken to calling her darling again, interspersed constantly by the new endearments of Doc, and The Healer Bitch neither of which she was fond of, but decided to bite her tongue in the hopes of speeding his healing. In fact she had caught him telling Perkins just what a bitch she could be the other day and she hadn't brought it up, but he was going to call her out on the silly little note she'd slipped into his file, merely warning the nurses and other staff that he was a no-good rogue devil? Yeah. Right. "I'll have you know I didn't do it for the perverse reasons you're no doubt thinking-"

"You mean you don't want to _restrain_ me and do unspeakable things to me right here in this bed?" Scorpius mock pouted and his eyes laughed at her. She blushed, but continued on as if there had been no interruption.

"Rather I did it to protect the innocence of the nurses from you. You're far too charming for your own, and their, good!" She relinquished his hand, but instead he moved it up to lightly grasp her arm.

"Do mine ears deceive me? Is that a compliment you just paid me?" His tone was light, but his face had gone very serious, and Lily realized this would be a turning point. She could dismiss him, and everything would be the same, but once again, her grandmother's words came back to her and she couldn't bring herself to brush the statement aside. He looked so small, so vulnerable, waiting for her answer, that she gave him the truth, brushing the over-long hair from his eyes gently with her free hand.

"It was. Don't ruin it." She smiled and kissed him on the forehead, resuming her business-like manner easily. "Now, I don't think you'll need anymore Skele-Gro," she said brusquely, "but you'll need to come in once a week for physical therapy for at least two weeks after tomorrow, to make sure the knuckles don't become susceptible to over-growth."

He released her and smiled, glad to not have to take more Skele-Gro, but elated that Lily had paid him a compliment and then admitted to it. "Thanks, Doc."

"You're welcome, Scor."

XXX

"So when does the rascal get out?" Albus asked as he and his elder brother and sister gathered around their parent's kitchen table for Sunday dinner. Ginny smacked her middle child's hand as he reached across his sister for a roll, admonishing him with a glare.

"Tomorrow," Lily replied evenly. If truth be told, she was going to miss the arrogant pureblood on her ward, but it would be good to have some peace and quiet back. "Unless he does something foolish and mangles up his hand again, of course," she added tartly.

"Well it's a good thing you're there to fix him up, sweetheart," her father said, and Lily felt a glow of pride as he beamed at his bright young daughter.

"And there's nothing else to report?" Albus asked slyly. Lily elbowed him hard in the ribs, glaring. So far, he was still the only person (besides her grandmother) that knew Lily and Scorpius had ever been anything more than acquaintances and Lily preferred to keep it that way. She tossed her red hair angrily.

"Yes," she hissed. "Now shut up!"

"You can't live in denial forever, Lils," her brother teased. "Someday you'll just have to admit the truth."

"What truth?" James asked from Lily's other side, and the redhead wanted to bury her face in her hands.

"Admit the truth that you are a far better brother than that excuse for a man, Albus," she snapped, and glared so hard at the green-eyed young man, who shrugged and continued eating. Lily sighed. She knew she was being overtly testy about it, but even if she could admit it in the long lonely nights to herself, it was antoher matter entirely to start telling the world she was in love with Scorpius effing Malfoy. Still.

The next morning, she couldn't hide her smile as she went to do her final check-up on her favourite-to-date patient. She rapped softly on the door and had it half-open before she realized she had caught Scorpius halfway through dressing. His jeans were slung low on his hips, still unzipped and unbuttoned, and he was shirtless. Lily felt her face go bright red, and heard her heart hammering in her chest. The smooth contours of his musculature rippled as he pulled a shirt over his head, turning to grin wickedly at her, slowly doing up the fastenings on his pants, eyes devouring her, making her feel naked beneath her robes.

"Sorry," she breathed, feeling out-of-sorts and slightly mortified at having walked in on him. She knew she shouldn't feel the flustered sort of arousal his naked proximity wrought in her and she struggled to regain her equilibrium.

"Don't be, you're adorable when you're embarrassed," he replied simply. He moved toward her, rubbing his stubbly chin, and took her hand. "Lily, I want to ask you something, but I want this to come out proper, so just...let me finish before you say anything, okay?" The redhead nodded, a wave of nervousness coursing through her, rendering her unable to speak. The blond looked down, seemingly just as nervous, which bolstered Lily's courage. He opened his mouth to speak, but before anything came out, the door was flung wide on its hinges and Draco Malfoy and his wife Astoria, both swathed in the finest of cloaks, swept imperiously into the room. Scorpius' grey gaze widened, horrified, and he dropped Lily's hand as though burned. "Father!"

"Come, gather your things, Scorpius," his mother said, her red-painted mouth set in firm lines as she eyed the young redhead in Healer's robes. Her tone brooked no argument. "We're leaving."

Lily cleared her throat. "Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy," she greeted them in her coolest, most polite tones, inclining her head to them both in turn. "Please excuse me." She gave Scorpius one last glance before she slipped out of the room, her brown eyes questioning and confused.

The young blond felt annoyance wriggle through him, tamping down hard on his temper that threatened to flare. Damn it! Trust his parents to come and ruin things _again_! He looked into the grey gaze that matched his own and saw the warning in his father's eyes. For once, Scorpius found he didn't much care. "Mother, stop," he said coldly, stilling her movements as she hurriedly packed his few belongings. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

Draco raised a brow at his son's impertinence. "That's of little consequence. What are _you_ doing here in the first place? Your mother and I nearly had heart failure when we found out, from Potter no less, that you'd been admitted here." Astoria placed a hand on her husband's arm.

"Scorpius, love, why didn't you tell us?" Scorpius hated the guilt that niggled him when he saw his mother's eyes filling with tears, but tried to push the feeling away. He wasn't a child anymore. "We were worried sick!" The lady of Malfoy Manor sniffled and pulled a lacy handkerchief from the pocket of her maroon robes, dabbing at her heavily made-up eyes.

"Mother, I'm fine, I promise," Scorpius said softly, his mother's tears doing what they'd always done. His father would demand, Scorpius would rebel, his mother would cry, and he somehow always gave in, unable to bear the guilt her unhappiness weighted him with. "Really. It was nothing, the Healers just wanted to make sure everything healed properly. I was going to owl you both today."

"Yes, but you _should_ have owled us directly," Draco replied. He positively loathed his wife's easy, petulant tears, but knew his son would fall victim to her wiles every time. "No matter, here we are, and they've told me you can leave today. So come, we're going." He turned on his heel and made to lead his family out, Astoria now smiling and taking his arm, but Scorpius stood rooted to the spot.

"No. I'm not going home."

Draco stopped, turning back to his son, the spitting image of himself but with his mother's tender heart. "I beg your pardon?" said asked slowly, dangerously.

Scorpius steeled himself. He was a bloody adult of twenty-four here, not some foolish seventeen year old who could be bullied and coerced. "I'm not going home with you." His brows contracted and his stomach flip-flopped nervously, but he knew the time had come. "I'm going to ask Lily to marry me."

Draco pinched the bridge of his nose with forefinger and thumb, sighing. "We've been through this, Scorpius."

The younger man glared. "No, you've been through this. I don't care if you want to disinherit me, if you want to throw me out of the house, whatever. I lost her once, and I'm not about to do it again." Astoria opened her mouth to persuade her son, but he cut her off with a harsh look. "No, Mother. I'm sick of going to your stupid little dinner parties, and afternoon teas where all those bitches do is ask me about my money, and whether I think they should redo the decor when you've croaked." Scorpius knew his words were possibly a little too harsh, but he couldn't stop them once the dam had burst. "None of them give two shits about me, or my feelings, or what I really _want_!" He rounded on his father. "And as for you, with your endless business meetings, and asking my opinions on what business you should take, only to ignore me and do what you like anyway, I'm bloody sick of that too! I'm not your damned puppet; not anymore!"

Tears were streaking heavily down Astoria's face, marring her makeup, and Draco's brows had contracted so far together they seemed almost one hard line. Despite the tongue-lashing he'd just received, Draco couldn't help but feel an immense sense of pride. He took his wife's hand firmly in his own, looking hard into his son's eyes. It was as though he was looking in on a mirror from the past. He recalled his own father trying to push him into his idea of what his son should be, and with horror, realized Scorpius must feel the same. His mouth softened, and his grey eyes lightened and he thrust his own handkerchief into his wife's fingers. "Very well," he said gently. "I can see you're a man of your own making, and I can respect that." Never one for sentiments, the elder Malfoy drew himself up to his full height and patted Astoria's hand on his arm. Scorpius knew his father would never say 'I love you', or 'I'm so proud of you', but the look in the older man's eyes was enough that both knew the words didn't have to be spoken aloud. "Come, dear, let's leave. We'll take our luncheon at the Leaky Cauldron before we head home." And with a brief nod at his son, Draco and his wife left the young blond, staring incredulously, at the door.

Scorpius dropped heavily onto the side of his bed. His hand didn't hurt in the slightest, but suddenly he longed for his Healer to come in and check on him again. He felt as though he'd run a marathon, his breathing coming in grateful gasps, his limbs light and floaty in his elation. She hasn't said yes yet, a sly voice reminded him, but he hushed the voice in his head up, basking in his glory that for the first time, he'd stood up to his impressive and tough-as-nails parents. He'd stood firm and they'd been the ones to buckle under the pressure. Scorpius smiled, his grin widening until he couldn't stand it and he simply burst out laughing.

Lily was signing off on the release papers for Scorpius when she saw Draco and Astoria Malfoy striding down her ward. He looked perfectly at ease, catching her red hair easily from a distance and giving her a rare smile, but his wife glared daggers down her nose at Lily, eyes watery and bloodshot, and Lily realized she must have been crying. Surely it wasn't her fault though! Lily's brow furrowed and she waited to see if Scorpius would follow his parents out, but even after several long moments, the young Malfoy hadn't emerged from his room. She took the excuse of bringing him his paperwork (with details on his physical therapy), even though it wasn't something Healers normally did, to go check on him.

She rapped softly on the open door, hearing boisterous laughter inside, and poked her head around the corner, seeing him lying flat on his back, arms around himself, laughing so hard tears trickled down his temples and into his hair. "What is so damn funny?" she demanded. Maybe he'd been hexed with something?

Scorpius sobered at her clearly annoyed voice, but couldn't manage to wipe the grin off his face. He wanted to grab her and kiss her and spin her around and throw her on the bed and make love to her. Instead he bounded up, brushed a tendril of red hair from her cheek, and said, "Come to dinner with me. Tonight. I promise I'll be on my best behavior." The blond's excited smile was so contagious Lily couldn't help but smile lightly herself, not sure what the hell had just happened, but deciding to roll with it.

"If you're going to promise, I can't see how I could refuse," Lily replied, grinning, and before she realized she was at work, and that Scorpius was her patient, she leaned up and kissed him hard on the mouth. She blushed when she realized what had happened, and laughed when she saw his startled expression. "Pick me up at seven," she said firmly, trying to cover the trembling mass of butterflies that were whipping her insides into a frenzy and turning her brain into that of a giddy sixteen year-old's. "Now, I'll need you to sign off these release papers." Watching her go, Scorpius wanted to whoop out loud and break out his victory dance, but settled for merely punching the air after she had left him.

The redhead's excitement had turned to nervousness as she sat, tapping her foot and drumming her nails on the counter in rapid succession. She glanced again at the clock over her sink and glared at it. How had it only been two minutes since she'd last checked the time? She worried her lower lip and then cursed out loud, jumping up to go reapply her lipstick. She still had ten minutes to go before Scorpius was due, and she rechecked her purse to pass the time. Wand, lipstick, emergency flats, mints, tissue, wallet; check, check, check. Her chocolate gaze sought the clock again and still, it seemed to be moving in slow motion. "Come _on_," she growled at it drumming her fingers hard on the counter now.

At six minutes to, there was a knock at her front door and Lily almost fell over in her haste to answer it, forcing an exterior of calm with a deep breath before she opened the door. Instead of the tall blond who had haunted her for years, she came face to face with her brother, Albus, who raised a brow at her outfit. She let her breath out in a huff, snapping, "What the blazes are you doing here? I'm going out."

"Oh I know, Scor's been changing his shirt every twenty minutes for the last hour or so." Her brother grinned down at her and pushed his way inside. "Got anything to eat?"

Lily stared at her sibling, incredulous. "No! Now leave!" He chuckled at her outrage, plopping himself firmly on her couch, flicking on the radio, frowning at the all-wizarding-news station before waving his wand and changing it to something that sounded to Lily like harpy singing. She rolled her eyes and bit her tongue. "Al, you can't just stay here, I'm leaving!"

"I can tell," he retorted, pointedly looking at her knee length ice-blue dress. "Scor told me to buzz off, so here I am. Bzz." Lily opened her mouth to tell him he could bloody well buzz off somewhere else, but then the elevator pinged outside and Scorpius arrived at her front door. "Have fun!" Albus declared with a wave, and Lily, too distracted by her date's sudden appearance, settled for flipping him off and slamming the door behind her on the green-eyed man's laugh.

"Sorry, I didn't think he'd pop up here," Scorpius said, annoyed with his best mate. His gaze slid over his date's outfit and his annoyance melted under his sudden, throbbing arousal. Merlin, she must do it on purpose. Her lush breasts only peeked out of the conservative neckline of her dress, but the fit left little to the imagination; her arse also looked spectacular, sheathed in the pale fabric like it was a second skin before flaring out seductively to whisper around her creamy legs. It took an effort to prevent himself from fondling her right there in the hallway. "Shall we go?' he asked, his voice dropping huskily with his arousal.

Lily felt a zing of electric heat shoot through her womanhood and shuffled, feeling naked, under his penetrating eyes. "Yes," she acquiesced in a breathier than it should have been voice, clearing her throat as she took the gallantly-offered arm. "Where are we going?" Her chocolate eyes shone up at him and Scorpius tucked her arm more securely in his own.

"Hold on," was all he would say, before they Disapparated out of her building and whirled to a stop in the middle of a very messy living room. Various hued shirts were tossed pell mell around the room, draped over the arms and backs of the sofa, one smothering the light from a table lamp, another bunched on the floor. His cheeks flushed lightly and with a quick wave of his wand, Scorpius had the mess sorted and rearranged in his closet, where it belonged. Lily was smirking with amusement. Without the mess, the room was tastefully decorated (in the typical fashion of two bachelors), with warm browns and soft reds; a fire burning in the old stone fireplace radiating warmth. The redhead looked around before a frown creased her lovely forehead. "Welcome to my humble abode," Scorpius said, waving an arm out, the other twining around her waist.

"But I thought-?" Lily stopped herself short, feeling horrendously overdressed in her heels and dress, and then laughed softly to herself. He had said dinner, not necessarily dinner out at a restaurant. "I like it," she announced, slipping off her shoes and unconsciously giving Scorpius a much better angle to admire her cleavage. It made sense that he'd told her brother to buzz off, now. She sank onto the sofa and Scorpius disappeared for a brief moment, returning with two wineglasses, handing one to her. She sipped and the liquid calmed her nerves, let her lean back more comfortably into the sofa and tuck her delicate feet up underneath her. "So you cook?" she asked, intrigued.

The blond laughed. "One of us has to. Albus tells me he can cook when we move in, and then sets the kitchen on fire, not once, but _four times_. I decided after that, I would learn to cook, and here I am." He sank onto the sofa beside her, emboldened by her natural tilt in his direction, and couldn't help sliding a possessive hand across the top of her thigh. The wine was delicious, and he took a heart swig, glad that Lily didn't seem to mind his proximity. The redhead sniffed as a waft of something delectable floated out of the kitchen.

"Mmm, so what are you making me?" she asked, eyes glittering in the way that forcibly reminded Scorpius of her climbing atop him far too long ago in a sticky, humid greenhouse.

"Come and see." He patted her thigh before rising and leading her into the homey little kitchen. Lily's eyes darted around, taking in everything; the burnished copper pots and pans that hung over the island, the overflowing pots of herbs jammed on the windowsill, and the glass-fronted cupboards that showed off stacks of orange and grey dishes. There was abstract art on the wall and the mouth watering smells of dinner sizzled up from the big, old-fashioned stove. She leaned against the island counter, leaning forward on her elbows, a slow smile spreading over her lips as Scorpius shifted his pans and peeked into the oven. "Almost ready," he said to himself, turning and smiling at his date, silver eyes darting down to savour the image of her leaning and smiling so provocatively in his kitchen. "Salad to start, and sauteed root vegetables and roast duck for dinner."

Lily cocked a brow. "No dessert?" she drawled, sipping her wine suggestively. Scorpius grunted, moving forward and taking her in his arms. He kissed her slowly, tenderly, trying to reign in his passion but failing as Lily came up on her tiptoes, wound her arms around his neck, and thrust her tongue into his mouth.

"I'll leave dessert to your discretion," he rasped, letting her slide down his body as she sank back to her natural height. "Now stop teasing, you're making it exceedingly difficult to keep my promise of being good."

The redhead sighed, going to the small breakfast table in the far corner and sitting primly in on of the chairs as Scorpius plated salads for them. "Yes, but you didn't make _me_ promise to be good." She found the power she seemed to hold over him intoxicating, and she was determined to play the flirt, hoping despite her sensibilities that he'd take devilish advantage of her. Lily knew now that she wasn't going to fight her feelings. She knew that if she pushed him away long enough, he'd never come round, and even if he was going to love her and leave her again, she'd take what she could get. "And as for dessert, I'm going to have to insist on it."

Scorpius slid their plates onto the table, rock hard already. Merlin, she was a minx and he was going to punish her for it. Later, though; all in good time. If he had his way, there would be a lifetime of chances to cook her dinner and make love to her right there in the kitchen. "Then dessert you shall have."

He whipped up a simple chocolate mousse for their dessert, and they ate in in the living room, cuddled up on the sofa, a second bottle of wine almost finished and brandy waiting for their empty dishes to be cleared away. Lily licked a dollop of the creamy chocolate off her finger, glancing sidelong at Scorpius as she did so. "Dinner was amazing, thanks," she said softly, the wine loosening her tongue along with her inhibitions. She was lounging with her head on the arm of his couch, her bottom pressed up against his thigh, her legs sprawled over his lap. Her shoes remained nearby, forgotten since she'd taken them off. The blond inclined his head.

"Thank you for coming."

Lily giggled, setting her empty bowl aside, wriggling deliciously on purpose, knowing he was about to lose control. "But I haven't come...not yet anyway." She winked and swung her legs over, giving him a hint of lacy green panties, before bouncing up. "Is the wine gone?" she asked, tilting a little sideways before steadying himself.

"There's a little left, sit down and I'll bring it." He made to rise, intending to take their dishes away, but she pushed him back down firmly.

"I can get it. You wait here." She leaned down, hands still pinning his shoulders, and kissed him before sashaying off, her firm little arse wiggling suggestively. Scorpius ran a hand through his hair. He had tried to control himself but the little red-haired vixen had been pushing his buttons all evening. He had been half-hard all night and couldn't hold back anymore. He glanced up when she came back in, drinking straight from the bottle, and Scorpius tried to imagine his mother's expression if she could see the straight-laced young Healer now; he doubted she'd be impressed, and the grin came unbidden to his lips.

He fully expected her to resume her reclining, but she shocked him by climbing right into his lap, setting the bottle on the coffee table behind her, straddling his thighs and plunking down on his rampant manhood. She grinned wickedly and began unbuttoning his shirt. "Lily." He grasped her wrists to still her actions, the large portion of his brain attached to his cock demanding what the bloody fuck he was doing. He couldn't let himself take advantage of her drunk, though. "Lily, please, you've had far too much wine." Her lower lip jutted out and she crossed her arms firmly over her bosom when he released her, pressing the soft mounds of flesh up to spill against her neckline.

"No, Scor, I think you haven't had enough." She unfolded her arms and rested her palms on his pectoral muscles. "I know perfectly well what I'm doing. Now shut up and kiss me." Her fingers fisted around the neck of his shirt and her lips were insistent on his. "Please," she begged, and the blond felt his control slipping.

Much later, he curled his body around her, from behind, his long frame spooning against her own petite build easily, and he caressed her hair, her cheek, her breasts and belly. "Are you okay?" he whispered, trying to master his control and not simply roll her over for round two. That could certainly wait.

"Never better," Lily whispered back, stifling a yawn as sleep lapped at the edges of her consciousness. "That was magnificent by the way," she added, knowing it would seem rude if she didn't compliment his lovemaking. His chuckled rumbled against her back.

"Just wait for round two," he promised, caressing her hip and painting little circles of pleasure across the top of her thigh.

"Tomorrow?" she murmured sleepily.

"Tomorrow," he agreed, watching as she drifted off to another plane of being, and snuggled closer into her. "And forever," he amended quietly.

XXX

Winter melted into spring early that year, seemingly aware of the red-hot passion that had blossomed between Lily and Scorpius. Lily was kept busy at work most days, and had little time to muse about her lover, but almost every night, he'd be at her apartment, cooking her dinner, helping her commiserate the too-long days, or critiquing her lack of any real cookware, and they'd spend many hours exploring one another and themselves in the privacy of her bedroom.

It was the day before Lily's birthday and the sun had put in an appearance after several long weeks of steady rain just as the young redhead had stepped onto her block. She hummed happily to herself, smiling at a mother with a wayward toddler and a baby carriage who looked like she was ready for nap time more so than her children, and stepped lightly up the stoop of her building and letting herself inside. Up the three floors in the elevator that pinged predictably as the doors slid open, and down to the first door on the left, and Lily opened up her unlocked front door, smiling at the sounds of cussing from the kitchen and the radio blaring something horrendous.

"Scor?" she called, glancing around the corner, but instead of her blond-haired grey-eyed lover, she saw her brother, poking at bacon in her skillet, cussing again as the fatty pork spit its molten venom at his exposed chest and stomach. "Where's-?" Her half-question was answered by a pair of warm, strong arms wrapping around her from behind, and the pureblood dropped a kiss atop her fiery head.

"Welcome home," he purred, helping her out of her trench coat, taking her purse and hanging them in the nearby closet. "Sorry you had to see that," he gestured toward Albus, who was now calling the bacon some very salty names, "but I figured if he was going to bother, he should at least help." Lily came into the kitchen, reaching over to turn down the heat on the bacon.

"And what's with the no-shirt?" she asked, biting her lip to keep from laughing. Albus glared at her.

"It's not like I could ruin my favourite shirt! So Scor told me to just remove it. Bastard." He shot his friend a dirty look, who merely laughed openly at his discomfort. "Anyway, apparently you two have plans," he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, cackling, "so I'm just here to eat and then I'll skedaddle."

Lily looked at Scorpius questioningly, her brows furrowed. Early birthday present perhaps? Ooh, maybe! She grinned and headed off to the bedroom. "I'm going to go change, you make she he," she pointed at Albus, who was now making death threats to the bacon, "doesn't burn down my kitchen. I'll be out in fifteen."

The pureblood watched the sultry redhead close the door to her bedroom and rounded on his friend. "Dick! You almost ruined my damned surprise!" Albus rolled his eyes; in his opinion, his friend and sister were being _way_ too serious about all this business. "Now, you're not going to be here when we get back, right?" Scorpius threatened.

"Ew, of course I'll be long gone!" Albus said. "Fucking cunt!" he added to his bacon. "Is it done yet?" At Scorpius' nod, Albus switched off the burner and turned to his best mate since the age of eleven. "Look, just come out and ask her. She won't say no." The blond's mouth contorted wryly, but Albus brushed him off. "Trust me, would I steer you wrong?" His green gaze became understanding. "Lily's hard headed as all get out, but she's not stupid, and she'd have to be to say no, now. Just relax, be yourself, and she'll say yes."

"Thanks mate," Scorpius sighed, grateful he had at least one person he could confide in, talk to, and ask about his lover. He had been debating taking things to a whole new level with her, but he was afraid of rejection, terrified she'd say no, and worst of all, had a niggling suspicion she might not care for him the way he cared for her.

Twenty minutes later, Lily emerged from her bedroom, tugging on spiky, far-too-sexy black heels and swung her long cascade of crimson hair over her shoulder. The pencil skirt hugged her curves in all the right places and Scorpius felt his blood begin to pound headily through him, even as his gaze roved upward and devoured the soft alabaster cleavage that tempted him above the low neckline of her gold, shimmery blouse. She posed with a saucy expression and then giggled. "Good?" she asked, twirling for him, showing off the low back of her blouse and the luscious curve of her backside. Scorpius couldn't help himself and gave her bum a sharp smack.

"Excellent," he amended, pulling her close and kissing her soundly. "Let's go."

"Bye Al!" she called, ignoring any response he might have made, wondering what her lover had in store for her.

The restaurant was swathed in a mellow red light, creating the romantic ambiance Scorpius had in mind for his evening's plans. The hostess practically consumed Scorpius with her vivid blue eyes and when she brought them to their table, she made sure to lean down far enough for the blond to see straight down the front of her tight black dress. Lily's eyes were intense and glared daggers at the tart, fingering her wand in her purse and wondering if large, unremovable boils or skin discolouration would look better on the hostess' face. The second they were alone, she rounded on Scorpius, her red hair crackling with her rage, her eyes dark and storming. "I can't believe you," she hissed.

Scorpius arched a brow. "Excuse me?"

"You know what the hell I'm talking about! That bimbo hostess was all over you and you just smiled at her and asked for your damn reservation! She was practically begging for it, and her tits were half out of her stupid ugly dress! Don't tell me you didn't notice!" Lily ground out, her chest heaving with her outrage.

Scorpius fought the smile that threatened to ruin his very well-laid plans. The only thing he'd noticed about the hostess had been the startling differences between her and the gorgeous spitting mad creature before him. He took her hand, glad that she didn't snatch it away, but she still glared at him expectantly. "Lily, darling, I assure you, I had and have no interest in the hostess, whatsoever." He brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her fingers, tongue sneaking out to lick the sensitive flesh between her digits, smirking when her cheeks flushed and the pulse in her wrist fluttered. "But I admit, jealousy is very becoming on you. Shall I call her back?"

"Don't you dare," Lily whispered, her fears put to rest, although the jealousy still made her feel woozy. "Hopefully the waiter will at least be a man," she teased. "I love making you jealous."

Scorpius' pride flinched at the unintentional jab, but his eyes darkened when he remembered her in that damned gold gown, all over Lorcan Scamander. "I'm sure you do, but I'm not nearly so polite as you. I'd knock the bastard out."

Lily rubbed a hand over his thigh under table. "Not that I'd ever really consider flirting with someone else," she said softly, long eyelashes drooping to cover the emotion she knew would be shining from her eyes. She stared at the silverware, an inexplicable ache forming in her chest. Despite the committed aspects of their relationship, Lily and Scorpius had avoided the use of that all-consuming L-word, and they rarely, if ever, spoke of their future together. Both knew in their hearts they wanted no one else, but neither could find the courage to say the words out loud.

Silence fell between them until a pretty, bubbly young blonde came to take their drink orders, declaring her name to be Viola, and that she would be their server. Lily grit her teeth through a smile as the young woman clearly gushed over Scorpius as he selected wine, and virtually skipped off to fetch drinks, the redhead sorely wishing they were back home for a quiet night that didn't involve so many women fawning over _her_ man. "Shame, she's not a man," Scorpius drawled, tilting her chin up to look into her eyes.

"I can tell you're disappointed," Lily replied coolly. It felt bizarre to be jealous; she certainly never had before, seeing Scorpius with some other woman on his arm, but the restless, tight feeling in her gut rebelled at the thoughts now. She wanted to claim him, strip him naked and brand him with her mouth and lips and teeth and body, but settled for caressing him erotically under the table. "Shame she wasn't though...I'd be more inclined to try the house specials."

The blond felt his pulse quicken and pressed her hand firmly against his half-hard cock. "Like hell you'll try any other house specials," he growled, releasing her hand as the perky blonde waitress returned. She grinned wide enough that Lily could see the gum jammed in her left cheek, and jotted down their orders before disappearing again.

As the candles on their corner table burned down and the night thickened to darkest velvet outside the windows, Lily and Scorpius barely registered they were in public with other people as near as ten feet away; so enamored with and completely absorbed in one another that their surroundings ceased to matter. Scorpius' eyes barely lifted from Lily's bright eyes, her luscious mouth, and the shadowed curves of her neck and cleavage, even when the now subdued waitress came by to clear their plates and refill their beverages. Finally the cheque was slid discreetly onto the table, hidden in its stuffy black leather cover, and the blond pureblood tore his eyes away from her tempting beauty, folding several crisp Muggle notes into the flap before snapping the cover shut again. Lily, who had followed his long-fingered hands with her gaze, and caught the hand-written name and a brief flash of numbers at the bottom of the bill as he shut the little black folder, felt her jealousy rear it's ugly head. The little blond tart, who couldn't be more than nineteen, had the audacity to put her damn number on the cheque!

Scorpius watched her eyes darken, and he tensed, the small box in his pocket suddenly weighting him firmly to the chair, fear rendering him immobile. He didn't even dare breathe as a slow, deviously wicked smile slid over Lily's sensual mouth. "Are you ready to go?" she asked, rising fluidly, tilting her head, and her gaze softening on him as she slipped into her coat. She couldn't wipe the grin off her face, though. The blond let out his breath, and rose gracefully, his hand slipping into his pocket, fingering the velvet on the little box filled with hopes and dreams. He nodded, holding her close as they strolled out of the dining room and past the hostess stand where the blue-eyed beauty and her blonde co-worker whispered and giggled softly together.

"Have a great night!' the blonde called, winking over her shoulder and waving to Scorpius, who barely heard her through his worried thoughts. Lily, however, reached down, firmly squeezing her lover's tight arse blatantly, knowing both girls would see, and called back with her devilish smile and maliciously glittering eyes, "Oh, we will!" And without a second look, she tossed her red hair, glancing up at Scorpius who smirked down at her, shoulders quaking and eyes dancing with laughter.

"Minx," he accused, thoroughly enjoying the way her eyes lit with possessive fire, and filed the memory away to tease her with later.

"You love it."

XXX

The morning light was far too chipper and Lily pulled the sheet up to cover her eyes, trying futilely to capture the shreds of dream that seeped like water through her fingers back into her unconscious mind. She stretched, feeling the heavy, secure weight of Scorpius' arm over her hip, and snuggled further into her pillow, enjoying the quiet, peaceful moment, until her mind fully wheezed alive. She yawned softly, slipping out of the blond's slack hold, and padding to the bathroom. She emerged, shuffling with another yawn to the kitchen, on the prowl for coffee.

After setting the kettle to boil and prepping her vintage press-brewer, Lily moved back to the living room, picking up the scattered clothing that lay in telltale heaps across her rug, smiling as the memories assaulted her. She tossed them in a heap on the armchair, hearing the faint whistle of the kettle almost at boiling, and hurriedly scooped up the last item, her lover's pants, throwing the carelessly toward the general pile. She huffed, annoyed, when his wallet and a small black box tumbled onto the floor as the trousers slid off the arm of the chair. Stooping to pick them up, she put his wallet on the little table near the front door, and was about to set the little box beside it, when curiosity got the better of her. The redhead pushed her unruly bed-head hair away from her face with one hand while she held the small, smooth box in her hand, turning it over and over. It looked suspiciously like... But no, certainly he hadn't been _serious_ when he'd made that foolhardy suggestion so long ago...

Her courage faulted with her hesitation, but she set her jaw and it renewed, stronger, and she pulled open the box, her breath leaving her in a whoosh and her heart thudding painfully in her chest.

Scorpius cracked one sleepy grey eye, reaching out blindly to shut of his alarm clock. His arm waved through thin air and he growled, flailing a little further, reaching out with his other arm to find Lily, determined to give her a very happy birthday first thing. Again, he found nothing. His eyes snapped open and he registered that the alarm clock was _not_ going off, in fact, and that he was alone in Lily's bed. He grunted, the shrilling whistle of the kettle forcing him up out of bed and hustling, rubbing his eyes, toward the kitchen. He snapped off the burner and lifted the screaming kettle off the heat, taking in the unmade coffee and empty mug, brow furrowing. He wandered through to the living area, and stopped dead, eyes widening as he saw Lily, tears streaming down her face, standing in the middle of the room, holding the box he'd (stupidly) left in his pocket the night before, staring at the glittering, multifaceted diamond solitaire nestled in it's delicate platinum setting atop the shining band, half buried in the velvety folds inside the box.

"Lily?" he asked tentatively. "Darling?"

Her chocolate eyes met his grey ones, and fear closed tight around the pureblood's throat. Here it came, the inevitable rejection. Damn, and he hadn't even gotten round to being able to ask her properly, on bended knee, ring in hand. Fuck! "Is this what I think it is?" she asked, voice wobbling slightly as she struggled to contain the soaring hope in her heart.

Scorpius could only nod, his voice choked with terrified apprehension. "Unless," he croaked, "well... It's just that last night, when...y'know," a boyish blush suffused his uncertain features, "you... Well you said, you loved me. And..." He couldn't pull his eyes from the floor, hand uncomfortably rubbing the back of his neck, face burning as the wriggling embarrassment burned through him. How stupid he was! How utterly, exquisitely foolish!

Lily felt her heart seemingly thud back to life, pumping warmth through her body, and making her dizzy. Had she really said that? And out loud? She'd thought the sentiment, surely, but _out loud_? Her smile blossomed fully and she moved toward him, tilting the aristocratic chin up, forcing him to meet her eyes. He looked like an unsure young boy, biting his lip, and staring with fear into the depths of her soul. She felt dizzy and wanted to laugh. "Ask me properly," she said quietly. Her tears had dried and her blond lover seemed to realize for the first time that she was smiling. He gently plucked the ring from her grip, letting his hands caress her reverently as he sank onto one knee before her, now staring up into the warm, brown orbs without blinking. The fear and embarrassment were receding as hope trickled through him like a stream through the parched desert.

"Lily Potter, will you marry me?" he asked, voice gravelly with checked emotion, grasping her left hand in his right, praying to any and every god he could think of.

"Yes," she answered, her face lighting up, radiating love as he slipped the enormous jewel onto her finger. "But only under one condition." Scorpius' brows contracted, and he suddenly felt his face flush again, waiting. "Tell me you love me," she demanded, for once, not feeling the slightest shred of embarrassment herself. She knew he would, knew in her heart that he felt it from the way he looked at her, to the stark jealousy and the tender caresses, but she needed to hear the words.

Scorpius chuckled, rising to embrace her, murmuring heatedly against the shell of her ear, "I love you."

Lily smiled, kissing him deeply, before pulling back breathlessly. "And d'you know what?" she said, slipping from his arms and heading into the kitchen to reheat water for coffee, admiring her diamond momentarily before glancing over her shoulder at Scorpius who leaned in the doorway, cheeks still pink with emotion and heady passion and remnant embarrassment.

"What?"

Her smiled turned wicked and she tossed her crimson locks over her shoulder. "You're cute when you're embarrassed."

~The End~

XXX

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** FINALLY DONE! YAYYY! and to think, it only took four days of dedication and ignoring my boyfriend, cat and television. LOL! I told you all my muses weren't dead! just...comatose for awhile there. anyhooters, leave me a review (i do love the epic lavishing of adoration) and i hope you all enjoyed it, lovelies! '...i don't wanna fall in love; if i ever did that, i think i'd have a heart attack!' cheers! ;D

PS. - this is the highly edited version of this fic, in an attempt to cram it into the parameters set out by the website. to read the REAL version, in all it's glory, visit: albe-chan. dreamwidth. org (minus the spaces)


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